


Lightning Strikes

by deadislandman1



Category: DCU (Comics), The Flash (Comics), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 69
Words: 206,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22148674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadislandman1/pseuds/deadislandman1
Summary: Barry Allen lived a normal life before his mother was murdered, so he moved to Japan to study Forensics to catch the killer. But when Lightning Strikes and he finds himself with new abilities, he will have to choose a new course in life.TLDR: Barry goes to UA.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 57





	1. Lightning Strikes Twice

There was heavy rainfall in the neighborhood, hailing upon the house roof like a bullet storm. Lightning arced across the sky, and when it touched the ground, the lights in dozens of houses went out. Following the flash of lightning were a few tense seconds of silence.

It was in this silence there stood a boy, staring from his attic out through the window into the violent sky, this boy was small, no older than 9, his blond hair slightly unkempt, the bangs clearly combed over his eyes. He wore a blood-red t-shirt and blue jeans with bright red sneakers. He was holding a vintage 40's comic, emblazoned across the cover was a name.

THE FLASH

The clap of thunder that followed the lightning strike startled the boy; it was louder than he expected. Still, he continued to stare into the chaotic clouds. The musty attic he was standing in felt like a safe haven for the boy, full of dusty clothes and old chests full of aging scientific equipment, But the boy's favorite corner was the one stacked with cardboard boxes stuffed with old comics.

"BARTHOLOMEW HENRY ALLEN, WHERE DID YOU RUN OFF TO?" Yelled a feminine voice from downstairs.

Sitting down in front of the open boxes, the boy yelled back "I'M IN THE ATTIC, MOM"

The door creaked open to reveal the boy's mother shining a flashlight into the dark dusty upstairs.

"Looks like the lightning knocked out the power, we're probably stuck without the lights for the rest of the night."

The Boy looked up at his mother and nodded in agreement.

"What're you doing up here?" asked the mother.

"I'm looking at your comics, the superhero ones." said the boy.

The boy's mother leaned over his shoulder and shined her flashlight over the cover. It depicted a man in blue pants, a red long-sleeved shirt with a lightning bolt arcing across the front, red shoes with little lightning bolts sticking out, and a metal helmet with 2 little lightning bolts sticking out the back. He was racing towards a man in a mustache dressed in a green tuxedo playing the violin. Little musical notes were popping out of the instrument.

"I really like this one." said the boy.

"The Flash Huh, He's a fun read, think he sonic booms when he farts." said the mother.

The boy giggles and replies, "EWWWW, that's Gross, mom."

The boy's mother chuckles and is about to go back downstairs when she notices the boy's makeshift hair job.

"Barry, is there something on your face?" asked the mother.

The Boy looks up and breaks out in a cold sweat, "It's uh… It's nothing mom."

Unconvinced, The Mother gently caresses her son's head and brushes his hair back revealing an ugly bruise on the right side of his head right next to his eye.

"It's fine mom," The boy quickly said, "I'm okay, really."

The Mother frowns and replies "Barry… If you're getting picked on for being quirkless at school, you should come to me or your father."

The boy looked down at his feet "It wasn't me who was getting bullied, Tony was pushing Ray around, I couldn't just stand there and do nothing."

The boy looked up at his mother again, "I know that they're probably gonna hurt me again, But I know that the flash wouldn't have stood still, and I know he wouldn't let the future deter him. That's why I wanna be just like him when I grow up!"

The boy cracked a wide smile while looking directly at his mother. His mother began smiling as well. "That's my Barry, always hopeful."

She helped him up off the floor and pulled him into a hug. "Whatever happens in life, never lose that, please."

* * *

A Few Days Later

The skies had cleared up since the storm and Barry was certainly happy about that, He was practically skipping home as he kicking the autumn leaves off the sidewalk. He was turning 10 that day, and he couldn't wait to come home to celebrate with his mother and father.

"NYOOOOOOOOM" He giddily screamed as he raced down the street.

What kind of party would it be he wondered, would it be themed around superheroes, the flash maybe? He Finally screeched to a halt and sped up the walkway to his front door. He eagerly pulled the house key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

"I'M HOME MOM" He happily declared before stepping into the house.

The first sign that something was amiss was the sound of crunching glass. Barry looked down at his feet to see that he had stepped on a shard of glass.

"Mom?" called Barry.

The room was a disaster, with displaced furniture and blown-out windows. A red and blue birthday cake was lying face down on the floor ruined, with party hats, plates, and utensils strewn about the room. As Barry continued to observe the ruined room, he spotted something amid the broken glass. He bent down and picked up what appeared to be a photo.

The photo depicted Barry and his Parents during a road trip in Death Valley, a cardboard cutout of the famous Japanese hero All-Might was waving back and forth in the background. It was a nice picture, ruined by the bloodstain on the upper right-hand corner. The stain came from a pool of blood trailing from the kitchen. Terror gripped Barry as he slowly made his way around the corner into the kitchen.

"AGH." screamed Barry.

He found his mother laying on the ground face up in a pool of blood, the sight burning itself into Barry's mind. Tears began to flow from his eye's as the worst moment of Barry's life took place before his eyes.

* * *

4 years Later

"Mr. Allen, MR. ALLEN!"

Barry shook himself back into consciousness as he noticed the rest of his class staring at him, his rude awakening earning him a collection of sniggers and chuckles from his classmates. He looked down to discover he had drooled all over his desk.

"Long night Huh?" said the teacher.

"Um, yeah," said Barry.

"Last day of school doesn't excuse this kind of behavior, so I think you need one last punishment, Go clean the chemistry lab, the chemicals have gotten misplaced and I can't be bothered." said the teacher.

Barry slumped back in his chair and groaned in protest as his classmates began to laugh and make fun of him. He knew how to tune it out though. Once class was dismissed, He grabbed his bag and walked out of the classroom.

He began his walk down the sterile halls of the school to the science room to perform his assignment. He wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible, mainly because he had more important things to do. Thinking to himself, he pondered how many times that was that he got in trouble for. Was this the 10th, 15th, 20th time the teacher caught him sleeping this semester. It was the last day at least. As he walked, he pulled out a form labeled "Top High School Choices Survey." He had put U.A. High as his main choice. It was the logical choice considering his chosen profession and it would offer the best resources. He was ready for anything (Or so he thought).

As he approached the science room and reached for the doorknob, he felt a hand grab him by the shoulder, He turned to find the closest thing to a friend he had in Mustafa Middle School facing him.

Eijiro Kirishima was normally a fairly energetic personality, but currently, he wore a face that showed genuine concern.

"Yo, you getting enough sleep.," asked Kirishima.

"4 Hours is enough right?" joked Barry.

Kirishima only shook his head and said, "It's very unmanly to neglect your body's needs, You gotta take better care of yourself, Man."

Barry could only look down to the floor and say "I have lots of things to do, but I appreciate the concern."

Barry put his hand on Kirishima's shoulder, "I sincerely promise that I will get a full night's sleep tonight and then I'll hang out with you tomorrow, Sound good?"

Kirishima looked at Barry and doubted he would commit but took the answer anyway.

"Ok, But we better see that new Action-Movie," said Kirishima.

"Fire-Fight, How could I forget!" said Barry.

"Hell yeah," said Kirishima.

Kirishima gave Barry a high five before taking his leave.

"See you, tomorrow Buddy!" said Kirishima.

"See you tomorrow Kirishima!" said Barry.

Both teenagers waved to each other and parted ways.

Barry entered the chemistry lab to the smell of tampered chemicals and leftover projects. The fumes were pungent and downright offensive to Barry's nose.

_Right, let's get to work._

Barry began to pull out all the chemicals for sorting.

*Creak*

Barry turned to find that someone had entered the classroom. It was Mina Ashido was one of his classmates, specifically one of the more popular ones.

"Sorry just popping in to grab my stuff," said Mina.

She quickly spotted her bag on one of the tables and waltzed over to pick it up.

"Ah god, it smells awful in here," said Mina.

Barry didn't comment, he was too nervous. As she began to leave, she stopped and looked toward Barry. A confused Barry pointed at himself.

"No, it's raining." Said Mina.

"Oh" replied Barry as he looked out the window. True to her word, a thunderstorm had begun.

"CRAP, my umbrella is still in my locker!" Mina screamed before sprinting into the hall.

As she was leaving, a small metal object fell from her bag.

"Wait, you dropped…something?" said Barry.

Barry walked over and picked up the metal object. He chuckled to himself upon realizing that it was her locker key. He pocketed the key and decided to give it back when she inevitably came back for it.

As he turned to hopefully finally start the assignment he was given when he felt a vibration in his pocket, pulling out his phone he saw a familiar number. When he answered the call, he heard his father's voice.

"Hey Kiddo, how was your first year in Japan?" said Henry Allen.

Barry Cracks a smile "It was great, dad."

"How were your grades?" asked Henry.

"Pretty good, Even If I fall asleep in class a lot," said Barry.

"Heh, your too smart for school now aren't you," said Henry.

"You know it, dad," said Barry.

Barry's father chuckled before moving on to a more serious subject.

"Barry…You're looking over my files again, aren't you?" said Henry.

Barry was silent.

"Yes dad, I have," said Barry.

"I Told you to stop looking at my files and move on," said Henry.

"You didn't do it," said Barry.

"Barry, I'm sorry, but I need you to stop," said Henry.

"NO, listen to me, there had to be a mistake, I just need to find it," said Barry.

Barry heard his father Choke a little before saying "Barry, I'm OK, I can live with prison, knowing that you believe me is all I need.."

Barry paused his eyes beginning to water.

"Son, I need you to move on. Forget about me, live your life," said Henry.

Barry red-eyed and tearing up Replied "NO, I won't forget you, it might take some learning, But I will learn CSI Work, And I will get you out, Because I know you didn't kill mom."

"Barry…" said Henry.

Barry's father spoke in an exhausted tone, knowing the call ended the same as all the others.

"I'll call you later, dad," said Barry.

Tears streaking down his cheeks, Barry left the call and put both hands down on the counter. Looking out the window he saw the storm was in full force. The rain was practically breaking down the windowpane. Wiping his eyes, he turned to see a figure in the doorway to the Science Lab. Mina Ashido was stood there, A look of shock etched upon her face. Barry, fumbling with his words, attempting to get something out. "I….eh…um" when did she come back, thought Barry, how much did she hear?

"Hey." Barry was shaken out of thought when Mina Finally said the first word, "Are you okay."

Barry looked her straight into her black and gold eyes.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have overheard that….. If there's anything you want to talk about though, I'm here," said Mina.

Before he could answer though, Barry was interrupted by the clap of thunder outside.

Barry felt something right then, He didn't know it, but that feeling would change his life forever. He turned around to see the chemicals he placed on the counter were vibrating. Barry looked up through the window and into the sky. It looked just like the storm he saw in his youth when he read comics with his mother in the attic. As he looked onward, he was blinded by a flash of light.

An arc of lightning shot through the sky and collided with the window in front of Barry. The window shattered, sending Barry flying along with the chemicals. Mina Ashido shielded her eyes from the explosion but was sent flying back and out the door. Various classmates quickly came to her aid.

"Ashido-San, Are you ok." said one of the classmates.

Ashido got up and pushed through the group of students clouding her and looked back into the science room before putting her hand over her mouth in horror.

Barry was sprawled on the ground drenched in chemicals, and covered head to toe in Black Burns. He groaned reaching out to the door in desperation, before falling unconscious.

"SOMEBODY HELP HIM" Cried Ashido who went rushing to the nurse's office with a posse of other students.

However, as everybody left Barry in the classroom, nobody noticed the lightning dancing between his fingertips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello AO3! I'm a humble writer just starting out and I've decided to try my luck on AO3! I've mostly worked within FFN for the last few months as I started out, but I wanted to post my fics here too! This is the first of 37 chapters and still ongoing, so I'll have more up here soon!


	2. Inspiration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry Allen awakens! After the accident, Barry discovers he has gained mysterious new powers. After returning home, Barry must reflect on his choices and how he wishes to move forward with his life.

It was dark, too dark. Barry felt like he was floating through nothingness. He couldn't feel anything. The air, the ground, it didn't feel hot or cold, it just…. Was.

As Barry cruised through the void, he began to open his eyes, only to be met with infinite blackness.

"Where… where am I?"

He felt the words in his mind, but no sound came from his mouth.

Barry felt his heart rate speed up as he began to panic, He began to fling his arms and legs about, grabbing at anything he could find, but he failed to grip anything.

Then he saw it.

A bolt of lightning, the only source of light in the dark, his eyes slowly adjusted as he perceived the bolt of light, arcing through space and cutting into the darkness like a hot knife. He didn't know why, but the sight wowed him so much that he finally calmed down and began to float in awe.

As he stared in wonder, he saw it turn abruptly and come straight for him! Barry began flailing his arms again as he opened his mouth to scream, though he still couldn't make any sound. He could only watch in terror as the lightning inched closer and closer until it was in spitting range.

* * *

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAH** "

Barry shot up in a terrified daze as his screaming died down. Looking around Barry found himself in a hospital bed wearing a gown. Before he could take in any more details, he heard footsteps down the hall outside his door. It swung open to reveal a nurse, breathing heavily from what looked like a mad sprint.

"You're awake?" the nurse wheezed.

"Um, Yeah?" said Barry.

"But the data stated that you wouldn't be awake for another month or 2.," said the Nurse.

Barry paused as he processed the words before his eyes widened.

"Wait, how long have I been here," asked Barry.

The Nurse, still puzzled, left without answering Barry's question.

"HEY!" shouted Barry.

Barry looked at the door in desperation before falling back down in his bed.

He began to recount the events leading up to ending up in the hospital bed.

"I had to do an extra assignment that day, didn't I, Then I had that conversation with Kirishima." In the back of his head, he hoped that Kirishima wasn't mad about his broken promise. "Then I talked to dad." He felt fear creep up his neck, how long was he out, how long did he go without talking to his dad, depending on how long he was out he must be worried sick. He tried to remember what happened after but couldn't quite remember what.

He heard the door open and turned to see a doctor walk inside with a clipboard and pen. Pulling a wheeled circular chair, the doctor sat and looked Barry in the eyes.

"Hello Son, I see you have some questions." said the doctor.

"Yeah, What happened to me, the nurse said I should be out for an extra month or something," said Barry.

"Yes, that's what our projections told us." said the doctor.

"If you don't mind me asking, How long was I out?" asked Barry.

The doctor looked down at his shoes

"Don't panic, You've been out for 9 months." said the doctor.

Barry could only look down at his own feet. He was out for that long! Kirishima must be worried sick, not to mention his father.

"How did I get here?" asked Barry.

"Well son, you were struck by lightning, You got burned something awful back there. Luckily, Pro hero Kamui woods was in the area and made sure to get you here quickly." said the doctor.

Barry felt confused.

"I don't feel like I've been struck by lightning," said Barry.

"That's because we gave you painkillers, a combination of medicine and that healing quirk of yours worked out the rest of the kinks." said the doctor.

Barry paused before turning to the doctor

"But, … I'm Quirkless, I don't have and regenerative powers?" said Barry.

"Well, Explain how you managed to recover so quickly then." said the doctor.

Barry thought to himself.

_Did I awaken a healing quirk, if so it must be dumb luck that I was a late bloomer and that it awakened just in time to save my life?_

The doctor pulled out a sealed folder.

"This is some of the mail that arrived while you were predisposed, we can do a full checkup later." said the doctor.

As the doctor stood up to leave, Barry reached out.

"Sir, how long will I be here?" asked Barry.

The doctor turned and smiled

"No longer than a few more days, then we can cut you loose." said the doctor.

Smiling, the doctor left Barry to his thoughts. As he turned back to the folder, Barry took a whiff of himself and visibly cringed. He needed a shower BAD.

As Barry entered the bathroom, he took a look in the mirror and was shocked by what he saw.

He was exactly the same as he was before his hospitalization. His skin wasn't charcoal and stranger still, he saw no scars that usually afflicted those struck by lightning. Even stranger so, he seemed to have gained muscle. No longer was he a skinny boy, but he looked almost musclebound. He walked into the hot shower and began to fall deep into thought. I have a quirk now. What am I going to do with it? What happened in the 9 months since my hospitalization, all the questions flew through his mind?

After his shower, he noticed the folder the doctor left behind and picked it up. Traveling back to his bed, Barry opened the folder to find a multitude of get-well cards, Courtesy of Kirishima of course. They read something like "Get well soon Buddy, can't wait to see ya again." Or "Just cause your down on your luck doesn't mean it's over, NEVER GIVE UP." Barry felt himself chuckle as he read through his best friend's cards.

Then he spotted something different, it was a white envelope, clearly set apart from the cards.

Barry picked up the mysterious envelope and turned to see who the sender was.

Postage: Henry Allen to Barry Allen.

Looking at the letter, Barry slowly opened the envelope and slipped out a sheet of paper, unfolding it to read its contents.

_Dear Barry,_

_I write this letter knowing that I may never see you again, and to tell you that no matter what happens to me, you keep looking forward._

_Barry, I have Lung Cancer, the doctors at the prison are going to treat it as best they can, but it's not looking good._

_I write this letter mostly to tell you that whether or not I die doesn't matter, but that until you choose to move on from me until you use the key and undo the shackle, you will be stuck in place, never moving forward._

_Barry, I want you to take a look at yourself at figure what you want to do in life, regardless of me and my situation. I want you to start moving again._

_I understand that this might be a hard pill to swallow but know that I say this with the utmost importance, I always have and always will love you._

_Yours truly, Dad_

Barry stared at the letter for an hour, Maybe longer. The whole time he felt the tears streaming from his eyes. Was his father already dead?

Barry, both physically and emotionally exhausted, lied back down and promptly passed out in his bed, not even bothering to put the gown back on.

* * *

**The Next Day**

Barry woke to someone knocking on the door. It was the doctor from earlier.

The doctor began his exam, but it was nothing but white noise for Barry, his mind still floating around the letter from the other day. He sat there in silence that he didn't even notice the doctor finish.

"That's it! Your good, for now, Just one thing" said the doctor.

"Hmm," said Barry.

"I need you to put the gown back on," said the doctor.

His cheeks reddened, Barry waited for the doctor to leave before throwing off the covers and picking the gown up off the floor. As he was throwing the gown on, he heard the door practically swing open, along with a booming voice announcing, "MY MAIN MAN IS BACK UP."

Panicking, Barry turned as to not expose himself but came face to face with a familiar friend.

Eijiro Kirishima was stood in the doorway, but it wasn't the same one he remembered. While the Kirishima he was friends with had black hair that drooped over his eyes, this Kirishima had Crimson hair that was spiked up over his head. The points of his hair looked sharp enough that they could impale someone.

Not even acknowledging Barry's moment of embarrassment, Kirishima waltzed over and pulled the now clothed Barry in for a tight hug, so tight Barry heard his back audibly crack. In spite of the surprise, Barry couldn't help but crack a huge smile. Even if he looked different, this was still the same Kirishima on the inside.

After Kirishima put him down Barry threw his arms around him for his own hug, though it wasn't nearly as strong.

"I can't believe I was out for 9 months!" said Barry.

"I know right, I only heard that you woke up this morning!" said Kirishima.

"I mean look at you, during my power nap I clearly missed something!" said Barry.

Kirishima blushed, "Inspiration struck me soon after school ended, I decided that I want to be a hero, and I'm applying to U.A."

"That's Great, How long before the entrance exam?" asked Barry.

"About a month. But enough about me, what are you thinking about applying for Man?" said Kirishima.

Barry opened his mouth, but words didn't come out.

He soon found himself retreating inside his mind, Originally, he had wanted to become a CSI in order to clear his dad's name, but now, with his dad on death's door and possibly not making it, he wasn't so sure anymore.

"I'm not sure," Barry stated in a depressed tone.

Kirishima immediately adopted a face of concern.

"Alright, Somethings wrong, your gonna tell me now and don't lie and say it's nothing, cause that ain't manly at all," said Kirishima.

Barry looked at Kirishima with empty eyes before explaining his situation.

"You know how my dad is in prison?" said Barry.

"Yeah, you don't want me knowing why, but I respected your privacy, what of it." said Kirishima.

"He's dying," said Barry.

Kirishima could only stare at Barry before saying

"Oh, That uh…. That sucks." said Kirishima.

"'Yeah," said Barry.

What followed was an almost agonizing amount of silence.

"Kirishima, I don't want to come off as rude, but I think I need to be alone for a few days, just to think things over," said Barry.

Kirishima looked back at Barry with a sad look.

"Ok," said Kirishima.

As Kirishima got up and began to leave, he stopped at the doorway and turned to face Barry.

"You know that whatever happens, I got your back, Right?" said Kirishima.

"Yeah, I know, and Kirishima?" said Barry.

Kirishima looked back at Barry

"Thanks for sticking with me this whole time," said Barry.

And with that Kirishima smiled back before leaving the hospital room, and Barry retreated back into his thoughts.

* * *

**A few Days Later**

Barry walked out of the hospital in some spare clothes that had been gifted from the hospital, as he adjusted to the cityscape, he noticed the dampness of the air.

It was going to rain.

Barry quickly speed-walked to one of the main streets and raised his hand for a taxi. Since he didn't have his phone, he couldn't call one, forcing him to look for one the old-fashioned way.

As he combed the streets, he began to feel the rain drizzle onto his body, and it wasn't long before the water flew down like a maelstrom, practically assaulting anyone who wasn't protected. Barry spotted a cab not long after the rain began to drench him.

"HEY" Barry yelled, attempting to get the caddie's attention.

The caddie began to pull away

"HEY WAIT, COME BACK!" shouted Barry.

Barry Sprinted towards the cab as it pulled into the street.

And then it happened.

Barry suddenly felt a surge in adrenaline as he practically flew past the cab and zoomed past around 30 blocks. Stopping, Barry looked around in confusion. When he turned away from the street, he noticed he was in front of his apartment complex.

"What the?" said Barry.

Barry began to go up the steps, bewildered, before feeling the adrenaline again. This time he had zoomed right in front of his apartment door, up five flights of steps in less than a second.

"WHAT THE HELL?" said Barry.

Barry looked at himself and noticed little tendrils of yellow electricity radiating off of him. As the event subsided Barry warily took out his house key. As he went to put his key into the doorknob, he noticed something else was wrong, his hand was shaking. It was shaking so fast that his whole hand looked like a blur. Suddenly, he dropped his key. Frustrated he went to grab it but as he pushed his hand down to grasp it, it seemed to go right through the key, and the floor. Terrified, Barry backed up before an idea came to mind, as he calmed down, he began to shake his whole body, now vibrating, Barry stuck his foot into his apartment door, smiling underneath the blur that was his body, he promptly walked through his apartment door and into the apartment itself.

Calming down once more, Barry stopped vibrating and retrieved his keys from the outside after unlocking his door from the inside. Once he was secure, he practically fell down onto his chair and looked up at the ceiling. He had more than a regeneration quirk, he had a dual quirk, but that didn't seem possible, his mother was quirkless and his father has an eye quirk that allowed him to see through solid objects, which benefited him greatly when he was a doctor. Barry couldn't have inherited his quirk.

Then his mind flashed to the incident, he had gathered chemicals before being struck, hadn't he? Those chemicals must have been supercharged by the lightning and given him his powers. He decided he would figure that out later and decided to pull out his laptop to check his emails before going to bed.

As he sifted through his emails, one, in particular, caught his eye.

It was from U.A. High School, and it read.

_Dear Mr. Allen,_

_You have been selected as a potential student of U.A._

_You may select what course you would like to apply for, and we will set you up with the appropriate entrance exam._

Barry didn't look surprised, he already had stellar grades, so qualifying for entrance wasn't an issue, the problem now was that he wasn't sure what he wanted to do anymore. He wanted to be a CSI previously, But now he wasn't so sure.

As Barry pondered his path in life, he heard a loud crash. Turning around, He saw that his closet had been opened, and its contents had spilled out onto the floor. Grumbling, Barry moved and began to clean up the mess, he was almost done when he paused as he picked up the final object.

It was issue #1 of the flash, The red and yellow speedster hero still emblazoned on the cover. Barry looked at the cover for a while before looking back at his past.

"You need to let me go Barry." 

"You know that whatever happens, I got your back, Right?"

"That's my Barry, always hopeful."

Barry looked up from the comic.

"Whatever happens in life"

He looked to the computer, still open on the U.A. Email.

"Never lose that, please."

He knew right then what he wanted to do. Walking back to the laptop, Barry entered the U.A. application site and found the profession he wanted to follow. Cracking a smile, Barry closed the laptop, satisfied with his choice. He wouldn't be a CSI.

He would be a hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter has been ported! I hope readers enjoy the story!


	3. Learning To Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a new goal in mind, Barry sets out to test his newfound abilities. He hopes to learn all he can in preparation for the entrance exam.

Barry stepped out of his apartment complex practically beaming with positivity. It had been a few days since he was released from the hospital, and while he was still disheartened by the uncertain fate of his father, he had finally decided to take his life into his own hands. He wanted to be a hero and by god, he would become one, and now that he had a quirk it felt like it was a true possibility.

Dressed in gym shorts, an old flash t-shirt, and a worn pair of flash sneakers, Barry walked down the street toward the local multiplex training facility. On the way, he took out his notebook and flipped to a specific section

_The Capabilities of My Quirk._

_Possible abilities:_

_Super-Speed: Unconfirmed_

_Intangibility: Confirmed (Not Fully Explored: Should experiment with this idea further)_

_Regeneration: Confirmed (But how much can I regenerate, Won't test as of right now with fear of Injury)_

Barry shut his notebook and continued his walk.

_Okay, just one month before the entrance exam, I gotta learn as much as possible if I'm gonna succeed._

Barry practically pranced along as if he had won the lottery as he made his way to the Facility.

* * *

Making his way inside the building, Barry stood in awe at the sheer size of the building, which dwarfed the average large city mall. The Multiplex itself was divided into 4 distinct areas, each devoted to a specific sort of quirk.

In order to save time, Barry decided to cut through the strength section of the gym. It was an abnormally large room filled to the brim with various Weights and strength Machines. The walls of the room depicted murals of various pro heroes with strength-based quirks. Among those murals included pro heroes such as death arms and fourth kind. However, the largest mural was painted upon the ceiling, All-Might and his Signature catchphrase were immortalized high above the hustle and bustle of the gym.

Some of the weights looked like they could be lifted by a normal quirkless person while others looked abnormally large like they were meant for giants. He was nearing the exit when he noticed a crowd was forming around a particular machine. Curious, Barry joined the crowd and saw a sight he wouldn't forget.

It was the pro hero Fat Gum. He had seen the takoyaki ads, but they certainly didn't do him justice. Barry had always found Fat Gum's portrayal to be cartoonish but looking upon the real thing put those thoughts away, he really was as morbidly obese as the ads had shown.

Without context, it would seem like Fat Gum was an extremely unhealthy individual. However, those who know his quirk would know that his body shape is an intentional decision. Fat Gum's quirk allows him to absorb objects or force into his body fat, meaning he can tank bullets or even missiles and keep on trucking. He can even absorb people who choose to attack physically in order to restrain them.

While Barry was indeed in awe of the hero standing in front of him, he was further elated when he saw who was training under him.

Eijiro Kirishima was currently benching 5000 pounds with a supreme effort, and the crowd was cheering him on. Fat Gum's presence likely had something to do with that, but it didn't look like Kirishima cared. He was having fun even if he was red in the face and having trouble focusing on the weights. Barry considered saying hi but decided to not distract Kirishima and tore himself from the crowd.

Moving on, Barry reached his destination,

The Mobility Center

Barry feasted his eyes on 3 distinct sub-areas within the Gym. The first was a massive pool with a depth of roughly 50 meters. It was filled with both casual swimmers on the surface and more committed swimmers diving down into the depths. The second area harbored a large empty pit. This area was reserved for people with quirks built for flight and levitation. The third and final area was the biggest, and it was also Barry's destination.

The track and field area was a massive stretch of solid land that took up as much space as the other 2 areas combined. It featured a massive track that was surprisingly empty and a large field in the middle with dozens of occupants. These occupants were playing various sports such as volleyball and tennis. There was even a basketball game going on.

Walking onto the track, Barry readied himself. He placed both his hands down beside himself while stretching his right leg and bending the other. Looking forward, Barry prepared to fly ahead.

"Here, we, GO!" said Barry.

Barry practically leaped into action before promptly tripping and skidding face-first on the concrete.

Barry picked his head up from the floor and looked at his shoes in confusion. They had gotten untied during his walk to the track.

_Figures._

Frustrated and a little dejected. Barry rolled onto his butt and began to tie his shoes back up. Just as he was finished, he felt a shadow loom over him.

"Need a hand," said a particularly warm voice.

Barry turned to see a young man in tight gym clothes. He had dark, slightly unkempt hair and a fairly handsome face, but his most prominent feature was the pair of exhaust pipes sticking out the back of his legs.

The man beamed as he held out a hand to help Barry up.

Accepting the help, Barry took the man's hand and was back up on his feet.

"That was a nasty fall there." said the man.

"Yeah, I didn't check my shoelaces," said Barry.

"Heh, rookie mistake." said the man.

Barry dusted himself off before returning his attention to the track.

"Mind if I join you?" asked the man.

"Hmm, oh sure," said Barry.

As they began to jog along, Barry had a sudden realization.

"Hey, I didn't quite catch your name," said Barry.

The man smiled before putting his hand out.

"Iida, Tensei Iida." said the man.

Barry took his hand and shook it, "Barry Allen."

As they continued to jog, Barry closed his eyes as his thoughts drifted to his quirk. He had crossed 30 blocks in seconds. How could he replicate that feeling?

Barry began to quicken his pace.

_Think about how you got from the hospital to your apartment_

"Uh, Barry, if you wanted to quicken the pace, you could have just asked." Said Tensei.

_Think about how fast you had to go to get to the taxi_

"Barry, you're going a little fast now, I might need to use my quirk," said Tensei.

_No, just think about how fast you want to go._

"BARRY SLOW DOWN" shouted Tensei

Barry opened his eyes to find that his body was moving fast, really fast, so fast that he could feel himself circling the entire track every 10 seconds or so.

Looking to his right he found his running partner racing to stay beside him, looking down he saw that the exhaust pipes were spewing smoke.

"ohmygoshiidai'mgoingsofastthisisgreat." said Barry, his mouth moving as fast as he was.

Iida looked worried.

"Baaaarrrrrrryyyyy" said Tensei, his speech slow.

"whyareyoutalkinginslowmotion?" said Barry.

It was then that Barry realized something. He wasn't just running faster, He was THINKING faster.

"ssssssllllllllooooooowwwwwwww dddddddddooooooooowwwwwwwwnnnnnnnn" said Tensei.

The words were so slow that he had trouble putting them together, but when he got it he realized that he was going so fast that hitting someone might make a human pizza. Barry looked down before realizing something.

He didn't know how to slow down.

"Ican'tslowdownImightdie!" said Barry.

Iida's face slowly morphed from worry to a form of sureness before he sped away from Barry.

"WaitIidacomebackdon'tleavemealoneImighthitsomeone." said Barry.

Barry could only hope that he would stop at some point, preferably not leaving a red stain the length of a football field on the concrete.

* * *

Kirishima had finally finished benching his 100th rep before throwing the weights off his body and onto the floor, shooting his fists into the air, and screaming in victory with the rest of the crowd going wild.

The crowd immediately swamps FatGum, allowing Kirishima a moment of reprieve.

"You could have gone further."

Kirishima looked up to see a familiar pink, horned individual with a teasing smirk on her face. Mina Ashido had come to the gym train for the entrance exams much like Kirishima but had stopped by to tease an old friend.

"Hey, horn buddy number 1!" said Mina.

"Did we both ever actually agree to be horn buddies," asked Kirishima.

"You got no choice, I dubbed us horn buddies, so we're horn buddies," said Mina.

Kirishima cracked a smile.

"So, what's up, anything new," asked Mina.

"Yeah, the hair dye is really working," said Kirishima.

"That's not news! Give me the Juicy stuff," said Mina.

"Well, my best friend just came out of a coma," said Kirishima.

Mina froze, the memory of Barry being struck by lightning rushing back to her. She managed to push that particular memory out of her head for a while, but Kirishima's mention of him had brought it back.

"Sorry, I forgot you saw it happen, it must have been awful," said Kirishima.

"He looked awful, Like a charred piece of meat," said Mina.

"you don't have to make me visualize it," said Kirishima.

Mina started smiling again.

"Is he well?" asked Mina.

"Actually, he looks better than he was before he got stuck," said Kirishima.

"WHAT, No way," said Mina.

"Yes way, the guy even gained some muscle mass," said Kirishima.

Mina chuckled before retreating to her thoughts.

_I walked in on a fairly emotional moment, should I apologize?_

As Mina pondered her inner questions, A young man practically exploded into the gym and raced up to Fat Gum.

"Ingenium," said a thoroughly surprised Fat gum.

The man, completely out of breath, had to wheeze with his hands on his knees for a while before raising his head to speak.

"Toyomitsu, I need your help, It's urgent!" said Tensei.

"What's wrong?" asked Fat Gum.

"there's a kid going around the track fast, and he can't slow down," said Tensei.

"Why not activate the safety barriers," said Fat Gum.

"Toyo, the kids almost Mach 1 according to the stats. If I use the brakes now, he's gonna be part of the concrete," said Tensei.

Fat Gum chuckled, "So you need me to be a softer brake, I see how it is."

Both Pro heroes quickly left with the crowd following suit.

"Wanna see what's going on?" asked Mina.

"Yeah, this should be good," said Kirishima.

* * *

When Mina and Kirishima entered the Mobility Gym. They expected some guy tearing up the track.

Instead, they got a red blur leaving a trail of electricity zooming around the track with enough speed to pick up a draft. Fat Gum was slowly approaching the track while Tensei kept the crowd from getting too close.

"What's happening?" asked a member of the crowd.

"I don't know. A speed quirk out of control?" said another member of the crowd.

The Murmurs of the crowd grew louder

"People, There's nothing to be afraid of. Fat Gum has the situation under control." said Tensei.

* * *

"JEEZ LOUIS THIS GUY IS FLYING" shouted Fat Gum.

Fat Gum was so close to the boy he had to fight the wind the boy was kicking up.

Looking in he decided to test if the boy could hear him.

"HEY KID, YOU IN THERE" shouted Fat Gum.

"HELP" Cryed Barry as he raced by.

"WHAT?" shouted Fat Gum.

"CAN'T" "SLOW" "DOWN"

The words came separately, but loud and clear.

"ALRIGHT KID, BRACE YOURSELF.," said Fat Gum.

"FOR" "WHAT"

Now or never.

Fat Gum dove onto the boy's path.

* * *

Barry saw Fat Gum seconds before he was airborne, the impact completely robbing Fat Gum of his Large Body shape and sending Barry spiraling into the air.

Barry closed his eyes and hoped he wouldn't pancake onto the pavement.

**SPLASH**

Barry opened his eyes to find himself submerged in cold water.

Barry felt an awful pain shooting through his body and started to lose the feeling in his limbs

All he could do is scream as he sunk deeper and deeper into the pool.

* * *

"You think he's ok Mina?" asked Kirishima.

"I think he's fine, He could make it out," said Mina.

As if on cue, a large collection of air bubbles float to the surface and breach the water.

"Hey Mina, I think he might be in trouble," said Kirishima.

Kirishima turned to face Mina, But she wasn't there

"Mina?" said Kirishima.

* * *

_I'm not too late right?_

Mina continued to dive through the water, her eyes darting around for any sign of the boy,

_I've gotta work fast, once he gets too deep, he'll be almost impossible to spot._

Scanning the water, Mina spotted a hint of crimson to her left.

Swimming closer she could make out a limp body in the water.

Wrapping her arms around the boy. She began to swim upwards. Observing the boy, she noticed his swath of blonde hair.

_He seems familiar_

Breaching the surface, she swims the side of the pool and hands the body to Kirishima.

"BARRY?" said Kirishima.

Mina, shocked, looked up to see that the unconscious boy was indeed Barry Allen. After laying him down on the poolside, Tensei rushed over to the Barry, tore of his shirt, and began performing CPR.

"Cmon kid, don't give up," said Tensei.

Giving mouth to mouth between pushes, Tensei continued for a solid minute.

* * *

Barry was making out with an angel. He didn't really know the context of the situation, but it felt really good. As his lips parted with the angel he whispered "Wait, just a little more."

"Sure," said Barry.

Meeting her lips once again, Barry savored every moment. Barry separated from the angel again.

"One more time," said Barry.

"Your Handsome friend is awake."

"Huh," said Barry.

Barry rubbed his eyes before realizing he was face to face with Tensei Iida.

"You're not a bad kisser Barry," said Tensei.

Barry's face grew red as a tomato before he stumbled away from the crowd and to his feet.

"WHAT THE HELL, WHAT HAPPENED.," said Barry.

"He saved your life, Barry," said Mina.

Barry turned around to see a beyond excited Kirishima and a Chuckling Mina.

"YO YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU HAD A QUIRK, WHY'D YOU HIDE IT ALL THIS TIME." shouted Kirishima.

Kirishima put Barry in a headlock and ground his knuckles atop Barry's head.

"I'm, Ow, A late, OW, Bloomer," said Barry.

Releasing Barry from his prison, Kirishima stepped back with a smile as wide as his face.

"You're gonna spill the beans over lunch this weekend," said Kirishima.

"Man, I have other stuff to do," said Barry.

Kirishima looked skeptical.

"Really?" asked Kirishima.

"Yeah," said Barry.

"REALLY!?" asked Kirishima, more skeptical.

Barry sighed and sagged his shoulders in defeat.

"Okay, Fine, I'll go," said Barry.

"Alright man, sounds good! See you later," asked Kirishima.

* * *

Barry began to walk toward the lockers to collect his bag and a pair of spare clothes when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to find Mina staring at him with what seems like genuine concern.

"Hey, Can I help you," said Barry.

"Um, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what happened to you," said Mina.

Barry just smiled.

"What's there to apologize for? Unless you were the one who threw the lightning," said Barry.

Mina looked down before cracking a smile.

"I'm gonna tell you 3 things before I go, Barry," said Mina.

"Okay?" said Barry.

"One: I thought kisses weren't allowed on the first date," said Mina.

Barry turned bright red.

"Haha, very funny," said Barry.

"Two, I'm gonna invade your lunch with Kirishima," said Mina.

"Why?" said Barry.

"Cause it looks like you could use a second friend," said Mina.

Barry stared back in genuine shock. It was a backhanded gesture of the highest order.

"Ouch," said Barry.

Mina just smiled.

"Well," said Mina.

"Eh Fine, I could use a second friend I guess," said Barry.

"Nice, and third, Do you have a spare pair of shoes?" said Mina.

"Why?" said Barry.

"Take a look," said Mina.

Barry looked down at his own sneakers to see that his wild sprint had completely burned the rubber off the soles of his shoes. It looked more like the burnt reddish remnant of a shoe than a complete piece of footwear.

"Oh Damnit, My dad got these for my 13th birthday," said Barry.

Mina suddenly had a guilty look. She had overheard Barry's conversation with his father before the lightning strike and wasn't really happy holding that info.

"Hey, Barry," said Mina.

"Yeah?" said Barry.

"I think I overheard something I shouldn't before you got struck by lightning."

Barry froze, a dark look on his face.

"What did you hear?" said Barry.

"I overheard you talking about your mom," said Mina.

Barry's face contorted into a frown.

"So that's what this is about," said Barry.

"Huh?" said Mina.

"You felt bad about me, so you're trying to be my friend out of pity," said Barry.

"Hey don't say that," said Mina.

"I gotta go find a new pair of sneakers," said Barry.

And with that, Barry quickly disengaged from the conversation and sped into the locker room.

"Barry, wait!" said Mina.

Mina's words fell upon deaf ears.

Dejected, Mina left to find a train home.

* * *

Barry slammed his locker shut in frustration.

_I was so mean to her. Why did I do that?_

Barry looked at the burnt soggy remnants of his footwear before dropping them in the trash.

"Farewell, lightning bolts," said Barry.

As Barry prepared to walk home barefoot he was stopped by a taller figure after exiting the Gym.

It was Tensei.

"Hey Barry, I wanted to talk to you," said Tensei.

"Hey man Sorry I don't swing that way." said Barry, "Plus the age gap and all that."

"What? Oh no no no! I wanted to talk about your quirk." said Tensei.

Barry's head perked up towards the pro hero.

"Its really dangerous, but its also incredibly powerful, What kind of school course do you plan to take?"

"The Hero course, sir," said Barry.

"Where?" said Tensei.

"At U.A.," said Barry.

Tensei smiled.

"Well then, Do you want some help controlling your quirk?" said Tensei.

Barry stared at Him with his jaw to the floor.

"You, You would help me after everything I just did?" said Barry.

"Why shouldn't I, You have insane potential, and you're gonna need all the help you can get if you wanna get into U.A.," said Tensei.

Barry couldn't help but smile at the praise the pro hero gave him.

"When do we start?" said Barry.

"Right now," said Tensei.

Tensei promptly tossed Barry a pair of yellow boots with fire graphics drawn on.

"These are from an earlier build of my super suit, They can take the friction caused by super speed," said Tensei.

Beaming, Barry quickly shoved them onto his feet.

"So what's lesson one?" said Barry.

"Learning how to stop," said Tensei.

There was a moment of silence before both racers cracked up in laughter.

"Oh, that's a good one," said Barry.

"No seriously, that's lesson one," said Tensei.

"Oh, Ok, So how do you stop," said Barry.

"You slide into it," said Tensei.

"Slide into it?" said Barry.

"Slide into it," said Tensei.

Barry checked himself mentally before he got the message in his head.

"OK, I'm Ready," said Barry.

Both Racers took their marks at the front of the gate.

"Hey, shouldn't we do this inside," said Barry.

"It's better to get outside experience."

"Isn't that Illegal?" said Barry.

Tensei looked back and smiled, "I can bend the rules a little."

"Oh OK," said Barry.

"We Go Just around the block, then slide into it," said Tensei.

"Slide into it," said Barry.

"Slide into it," said Tensei.

Barry Looked ahead as Tensei started the countdown.

"On your Mark"

"Get Set"

"GO"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say here except hope you're having a great day!


	4. Entrance Exam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today's the day! Barry must now prove he's worthy to enter U.A. using his newly acquired powers and skills.

**BEEP BEEP BEEP**

Barry groggily rose from his bedsheets and frowned in the direction of the angry noise.

His alarm was going off.

Sighing, Barry reached over to turn off the alarm but found he had trouble touching it. Looking he realized his hand was vibrating. Barry looked on at his hand for a moment before getting an idea only a still half-asleep person would get. Crawling over to the alarm clock, Barry stuck his hand into the clock.

Barry then began to concentrate, and his hand slowly began to stop vibrating. He didn't know why he was doing it, He just felt like doing it.

He would regret it a second later.

The Clock stopped beeping before exploding into a shower of parts. Yelping, A startled Barry tumbled backward and fell out of bed, conking his head on the windowsill on the way down.

After feeling the back of his head for bumps, Barry takes a deep breath before standing back up.

_Not the best start to the day, but I gotta stay positive, Cause today's the day._

* * *

After hastily getting dressed and making sure he was wearing the special boots Iida gifted him, Barry began his walk to the entrance exam location, looking over notes as he walked. His training with Ingenium had greatly increased the volume of notes in his book.

Barry then remembered that Ingenium had written a special page of exam day tips just for him. Flipping to the specific page, Barry peered over a short list.

_Tensei Tips_

_Slide into it (To stop)_

_Slide into it (to make tight turns)_

_Just slide into it, it's always the answer._

_Don't overthink it, just remember the basics (Slide into it.)_

Chuckling to himself, Barry continued his walk to the Entrance Exam.

_I've got this._

* * *

The Building was larger than Barry expected, with a row of arches constructed over a broad sidewalk. The building itself was a large white complex with rows of windows and a large Golden U fastened above the double doors, a golden A stuffed inside the U.

Noticing people already pouring in, Barry began to follow but was interrupted by someone running into him.

"Oh geez, I'm really sorry." Said a panicked voice.

Turning back, Barry laid his eyes upon the speaker. He was a boy of short stature, he didn't look overly handsome nor unsightly, and his only truly memorable feature was his mass of dark green hair.

"My bad, I was so worried about being late that I wasn't watching out in front of me." said the boy.

"No problem, I do that too sometimes," said Barry.

With the situation resolved peacefully, the green-haired boy nodded and continued on his way, Barry following. As he continued to observe the boy, Barry noticed him stop and put his hand on his mouth.

"Hey, are you sick or something?" asked Barry.

"What? Oh no no no, I just um." The boy continued to stutter through his words. "I uh, ate something awful this morning."

Barry didn't really believe him but didn't exactly care enough to argue, ruling it as something personal.

"Just looking out for a potential classmate," asked Barry.

"OUTTA MY WAY DEKU." Growled a hostile voice.

Doing a 180, Barry found himself face to face with another boy, though he had a far less friendly face. He had dirty blond hair and blood-red irises.

"Kacchan?" said the green-haired boy.

The two boys seemed to have a history.

"Don't stand in front of me. I'll kill you." said the blond-haired kid.

His disposition towards the green-haired boy irked Barry. He remembered dealing with bullies back in the U.S.

"Hey, maybe save those lines for the villains, Slugger," said Barry.

"What did you just call me?" The boy's voice seethed with malice.

"Slugger, It's a positive term if you're worried," said Barry.

"Hrmph, don't patronize me Dumbass." said the blond-haired kid.

As the blonde boy walked away, the green-haired boy began to stutter.

"M-Morning, l-lets both do our best…" said the green-haired boy.

The blonde walked right past him, not even acknowledging his words.

"You know that guy?" asked Barry.

"Umm, yeah, h-he was a childhood friend of mine." said the green-haired boy.

"More like childhood enemy, the guys got it out for you," said Barry.

"I-It's complicated." said the green-haired boy.

Barry immediately understood that there were personal problems behind this particular relationship.

"You must be unlucky for your parents to have named you Deku," said Barry.

"W-What, you got it all wrong, My names not Deku, Kacchan just calls me that." said the green-haired boy.

Barry felt sympathy for the boy, having been a victim of bullying before.

"Sorry about that, honest mistake. Let's start over," said Barry.

Barry reached out his hand, "Barry Allen."

Izuku looked at his hand for a moment before shaking it, "Izuku Midoriya"

"Alright Midoriya, let's do our best, PLUS ULTRA," said Barry.

And with that Barry marched inside the building, leaving a surprised Midoriya outside, shocked by Barry's enthusiasm.

* * *

The auditorium was crowded with many entrees, all dying to make It into UA.

As Barry took his seat, he noticed a mass of pink hair further down the stairs.

Mina Ashido was applying for UA, the Same as him.

Barry considered speaking to her but still felt a little bitter with her attempt at a pity party. Looking to distract himself, Barry turned to his right and observed his neighboring attendee. He had black hair that was combed to perfection and an extremely blocky face/body, but what made Barry interested were the glasses. They were in mint condition, and very shiny.

As Barry took a closer look, the boy abruptly raised his hand, palm open, and pointed it in Barry's direction.

"Sir, could you please stop staring, your distracting me." His voice was clear, loud, and very eloquent.

"Sorry, I just thought the glasses looked cool," said Barry.

The boy placed his hands back at his sides.

"Thank you" He quietly whispered.

The lights in the auditorium then began to brighten, revealing a large screen at the front.

As the lights continued to brighten, a man who Barry assumed to be a pro hero walked out to the podium.

He was dressed in a costume covered in speakers and wore headphones over his blonde hair, "For all you examinee listeners tuning in, welcome to my show today!"

_Bit of a showman isn't he._

"EVERYBODY SAY HEY" he whooped in English.

Nobody took the bait, and the silence showed it.

_Not a very effective showman is he._

"What a refined response," the man muttered.

"I guess I'll quickly present to you the rundown on the practical exam!" said the announcer.

Going for one last response from the audience, the man, who Barry now recognized as Pro Hero and Podcast runner Present Mic shouted, "ARE YOU READY, YEAH!" In English.

The outcome was the same before.

_Well, He's no Freddie Mercury, But I can at least appreciate the effort._

"As it says in the application requirements, you listeners will be conducting ten-minute mock battles after this." said the announcer.

The screen above Mic suddenly lit up with various charts and graphics.

"You can bring whatever you want with you. After the presentation, you'll head to the specified battle center, okay!" said the announcer.

Nobody responded

"OKAY?" said the announcer.

Seeing as nobody responded, Barry took a look at his pamphlet. It appeared that each battle center separated schools, so nobody from a specific middle school could team-up. Barry felt a certain feeling of relief at that revelation. He didn't have to deal with meeting Mina on the field.

Barry looked up to see that Mic was continuing his presentation.

"Three different types of faux villains are stationed in each battle center. You earn points for them based on the level of difficulty. Your goal, dear listeners, is to use your quirks to earn points by immobilizing the faux villains."

_Seems simple enough_

"Of course, attacking other examinees and any other unheroic actions are prohibited." said the announcer.

Suddenly, the boy next to him rose from his seat and raised his hand.

"May I ask a question?" said the boy.

"Okay!" said the announcer.

"On the Printout, there are four types of villains. If that is a misprint, then U.A., the most prominent school in Japan, should be ashamed of that foolish mistake. We examinees are here in this place because we wish to be molded into exemplary heroes."

The Boy then pivoted to point at a familiar mass of green hair.

"In addition, you over there with the curly hair." said the boy.

Midoriya, Slightly panicked, pointed at himself in order to make sure the accusing finger had the right person.

"You've been muttering this whole time, it's distracting. If you're here on a pleasure trip, then you should leave immediately." said the boy.

Midoriya only managed to get out an "I'm sorry" before falling back into his seat, having tanked a nasty verbal lashing.

"Okay, Okay, examinee number 7111, Thanks for the great message." said the announcer.

_I wouldn't have called it great._

"The fourth villain type is worth zero points." said the announcer.

As if on cue, the screen lit up with the outline of a large robot.

"That guy is an obstacle, so to speak. There's one in every battle center, an obstacle that will go crazy in narrow spaces. It's not impossible to defeat, but there's no reason to defeat it, either. I recommend you listeners try to avoid it." said the announcer.

The boy with glasses went into a bow so deep you could place a coffee cup on his back.

"Thank you very much, please excuse the interruption!" He shouted before sitting back down.

"That's all from me! Finally, I'll give you listeners a present, our school motto!" said the announcer.

Taking a deep breath, Mic began the speech.

"The Hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: A true hero is someone who overcomes life's misfortunes. Go Beyond, PLUS ULTRA." said the announcer.

The screen behind flashed his final saying in big colorful text.

"Now, everyone, good luck suffering!" said the announcer.

With a wink, Mic left the stage.

* * *

Everybody proceeded to leave the auditorium and take the bus to their assigned battle center. Barry found his and sat down in the window seat.

"A-Allen, Right?"

Barry turned his head to see Midoriya, shaking from either excitement or fear, standing next to Barry.

"Is this seat taken?" asked Midoriya.

"Nope, Sit right down," said Barry.

Nodding, Midoriya sat down next to Barry.

"That was Present Mic down there, do you know him," said Midoriya.

"Kind of," said Barry.

"He's so cool, I listen to his podcast every Friday," said Midoriya.

"I don't really listen to those kinds of podcasts," said Barry.

"Oh, well what do you listen to," said Midoriya.

"Science lectures," said Barry.

Midoriya stared for a moment.

"Really?"

"Yeah, my favorite is a really old scientist, his name was Neil deGrasse Tyson," said Barry.

"Wasn't he an astrophysicist?" said Midoriya.

"Yeah, He pioneered the Mars mission," said Barry.

"Oh, you mean the one that the movie, MARS is based on?" said Midoriya.

"No, that's a different movie, though I do like that one," said Barry.

"Have you seen the movie MOON?" said Midoriya.

"No.," said Barry.

"You should see it, it's really good," said Midoriya.

The boys continued to trade opinions and movie recommendations.

_I hope this guy's my classmate; we really get along well._

* * *

The bus finally arrived at the destination, a massive battle center where a fake city has been constructed. Barry was impressed by the sheer size of the compound.

Meanwhile, Midoriya was shaking out of sheer nervousness.

"Hey man, it'll be alright," asked Barry.

"But, how can everyone be so confident."

"They're all probably psyched up from Present Mic's enthusiasm," joked Barry.

Midoriya didn't laugh but made a small grin before apparently noticing someone in the crowd.

"Oh, sorry Allen-Kun," said Midoriya.

"Barry is fine," said Barry.

"Sorry B-Barry, I gotta go meet with somebody," said Midoriya.

Watching Midoriya go, Barry was about to move to his own spot when he noticed the boy with glasses grab Midoriya by the shoulder.

"That girl appears to be trying to focus, what are you doing here, are you taking the entrance exam to interfere with everyone else." said the boy.

"N-N-N0, of course not," said Midoriya.

Barry noticed the rest of the examinees smile, at which point Barry realized that they had discounted Midoriya as a threat. They didn't think he had it in him to be a hero. The thoughts were weighing down on Midoriya and Barry could see what little confidence he had was seeping out. He knew he had to do something.

Walking behind the boy with glasses, Barry poked his shoulder.

"Yes?" said the boy.

"Can you maybe lay off the guy, you're clearly making him uncomfortable," said Barry.

"He's disrupting the rest of the examinees." said the boy.

"You're disrupting him, you think he's gonna have any confidence trying to apply if you're throwing accusations at him," said Barry.

The boy was appalled by Barry's argument, but before he could give a response. A voice came over the speakers.

"Okay, START."

Barry recognized the voice as Present Mic's and immediately bolted off into the compound.

As he ran, he looked back at a specific conversation he had with Ingenium during training.

* * *

" _I have a theory that your quirk works like it's got its own power source."_

" _Right, so when I run, I can't really limit how much energy I output."_

" _That's because you let your speed control you, you let it take the wheel and drive and it doesn't want to stop. You gotta learn how to limit that speed and keep yourself in the driver's seat"_

* * *

Limiting his thoughts on speed and momentum, Barry cruised through the city with great control and relative ease.

_I'm not as fast as at the track, but I don't need to be, I just need to be fast enough to fight the bots._

Racing ahead, Barry came across his first robot. It rounded a city block corner on one wheel with 2 appendages and a head with a single red sensor. Barry slides to a stop.

_That feels so awesome. OK now how do I get this thing to go down, I could try and find a weak spot and hope for the best but I would just hurt myself trying to punch it like a strength quirk user would, I could find the little screws and try to disassemble it really fast but that would take to long. What can I do?_

Barry looked down at his hands.

_Wait a minute, what if…_

Smiling, Barry began to vibrate his hands.

As the robot charged ahead, Barry charged forward as well and stuck his hands inside the robot's head. Letting his hands relax, Barry smiled in satisfaction when the robot exploded into spare parts.

"Quick and easy, I can keep this going for 10 minutes," said Barry.

* * *

Barry then went to work, speeding around the compound and destroying various robots in a rinse and repeat pattern.

He was confident, that was until he felt the ground shake.

Turning towards where the quaking was, Barry was shocked to find a massive robot moving down the street away from him.

"Oh mon"

Barry looked behind him to find a distinctly French boy, staring in shock at the large robot.

_That thing must be the 0 point obstacle, glad it's not heading this way._

As if on cue, The robot was suddenly thrust backward by an overwhelming force. Even worse, it was on a collision course straight for Barry.

_On that note, Time to split._

Barry began sprinting away and made it 3 blocks before realizing something.

_The French guy_

Looking back he saw that the French boy hadn't moved an inch. In a few seconds, he was gonna get crushed.

"HEY DUDE GET OUT OF THE WAY" Shouted Barry.

It was no use, the French boy was frozen in fear.

_I gotta save him._

Barry raced back towards the robots impending death zone.

_I'm not gonna make it, even if I get to him I won't be able to get away…. Unless._

Barry entertained what could be the stupidest idea he had in life yet.

_This could easily kill him, but it's my only chance._

Reaching the French boy and scooping him up into his arms bridal style, Barry began to vibrate his molecules. He held the boy as tightly as he could, hoping he was right in his theory.

"O-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i" yelped the french boy.

As the robot came crashing down upon them, Barry closed his eyes and prayed.

* * *

A few seconds later, Barry opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of a decimated street completely unharmed. Looking into his arms he saw a shivering French boy covering his mouth.

"Put me down please." said the french boy.

Barry obliged and watched as the French boy ran to the side of the street and began vomiting violently.

"Merci" he managed to blurt out between pukes.

Barry looked at himself and smiled. _That was awesome._

"Times up!"

Mic's voice boomed as Barry looked up into the sky in victory.

* * *

When Barry returned home, He found another letter waiting for him. Curious scanned the envelope to find that it was from the prison his dad was housed. Barry's heart began to beat faster and faster.

_Is he dead?_

Terrified of the thought, Barry opened the letter and read its contents.

_Dear Barry,_

_My cancer is in remission, God forbid I'm still kicking on this earth. I just wanted to let you know that I'm alive and that I hope you've moved on from me. I'd appreciate it if you sent a letter once in a while._

_Sorry for the shorter letter, but I just wanted to let you know I'm getting better._

_Yours Truly, Your father Henry Allen._

Barry let out a sigh of sweet relief.

_He's alive._

Barry suddenly felt himself going back to his thoughts about his future, he had done his entrance exam and was confident in his chances, but felt he at least owed his father something. He wanted to move on from his personal tragedy, But how.

Barry was suddenly struck with an idea, and he smiled giddily. Taking out a pen and paper, he began to write.

_Dear dad,_

_I'm relieved to hear that you beat your cancer for now, and I'm relieved that you told me about it. On the subject of moving on, I thought about it, a lot actually, and I decided on what's going to happen. I'm gonna be a hero like I've wanted since I was 7 and I'll make you proud._

_But I won't give up on you, I will free you, I just won't let it control my every waking hour. I'm gonna take things one step at a time and do both._

_I can't wait for your response._

_Love, Your Son, Barry._

Packing up the paper and stuffing it into the Mail, Barry felt nothing but contempt, He had taken control of his life, and nothing was going to steer him off the path he made for himself.

* * *

A few days later, as Barry checked the mail, He noticed a particular letter with a red wax seal, A UA seal. Smiling, Barry brought it inside.

Sitting down at his desk, Barry opened the envelope to find a small circular object. Inspecting it, Barry wasn't sure what it was. Putting it down to investigate later, the object suddenly lit up and a projection of All-Might emerged from the object.

"I AM HERE, AS A PROJECTION." he announced.

Yelping in surprise, Barry fell backward out of his seat.

"Young Man, Are you alright," asked All-Might.

After laying there for about a minute, Barry realized the projection was live and quickly scrambled to his feet.

"OH, UM Yeah, I'm fine," said Barry.

"GOOD, because you passed with flying colors," said All-Might.

"ALRIGHT," said Barry.

Barry pumped his fist into the air, He was proud of himself.

"While your quirk mystified some of the judges, you were given many points for your ingenuity, and of course for saving your fellow examinee," said All-Might.

"Wait, you guys saw that?" said Barry.

"Yup, we didn't only count villains destroyed you know," said All-Might.

Smiling to himself, Barry looked back at the projection.

"What's next," said Barry.

"What's next is for your education to begin. WELCOME TO UA!" said All-Might.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fic enters the main MHA narrative! There'll be more soon!


	5. Day One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Excitement! Barry has his first day at U.A., but it's not what he expects!

"The Cumulative results of the practical exams are displayed here."

A group of heroes sat around a table observe the results, now shown on a display.

"I can't believe the Bakugo boy got first place with no rescue points." said one hero.

"The faux villains acquire their targets and hone in on them. At around the 5-minute mark, most of the trainees started to slow down, but he managed to keep up his performance, He got to number 1 by toughing it out."

The shadowed heroes murmured in agreement.

"In Contrast, Look at the 7th place entrant, Izuku Midoriya, he got in on only rescue points." said another hero.

"I've seen entrants take the large villain in the past but I've never seen someone just wipe it off the face of the earth." said another hero.

"It's very strange that he suffered such a serious injury though, it's almost like a child manifesting their quirk for the first time." said another hero.

As the heroes continued to converse, a calm voice interrupted them from the deepest shadows.

"I think we should look at 4th place."

Confused, the other heroes looked back at the display.

"Barry Allen, he seems to be an exceptional entrant." said one of the heroes.

"Maybe so but can anyone actually list his quirk." said the voice.

"Super-Speed," said one hero.

"Intangibility," said another hero.

"Manipulation of electricity." said a third hero.

The entire table of heroes looked at each other with strange looks.

"See, even you can't nail down what it is exactly." said the voice.

The raggedy man stepped into the light, revealing an unshaven man with long unkempt hair, dressed in black.

"He Moved around the test area at extreme speeds, destroyed the robots without much effort, and saved a fellow entrant by phasing through the robot. These seem like too many quirks for them to have been passed on by parents." said the man

"It's a little strange I admit, but he's from the U.S. his public records are a little sparse at the moment." said a hero.

I'll do a background check, meanwhile keep an eye on him." said the man.

* * *

Barry opened his eyes and cracked a wide smile as he slowly rose from his bed. Today was his first day! He also felt remarkably well-rested, suspiciously so. Curious, Barry turned to his alarm clock to see what time it was.

There was no alarm clock. Shrugging, Barry got up and started to put his uniform on before it dawned on him.

"OH CRAP, I'M GONNA BE LATE." shouted Barry.

Cursing himself for not replacing his alarm clock, Barry hastily shoved his clothes on and raced out the door.

* * *

Barry made surprisingly good time speeding his way to UA, careful not to use his quirk on the way.

Making his way up the stairs, Barry entered the main building. The grounds themselves felt impossibly big, with sweeping compounds and tall buildings.

_This place must have the budget of a small country!_

Running into the main building and making his way up the stairs, Barry finally made it to the right floor.

"Class 1-A, Class 1-A, ah there it is."

Spotting the classroom, he was surprised to find a mess of green hair standing in front of the intimidatingly large door.

"Hey Midoriya," said Barry.

Yelping, Izuku turned to face Barry.

"Barry, you made it!" said Midoriya.

"So did you, I'm glad I know at least one person heading in," said Barry.

"Same," said Midoriya.

Looking back at the door, Midoriya shivered.

"Nervous?" asked Barry.

"I'm just hoping none of the scarier contestants made it in," said Midoriya.

"Eh, I bet it'll be just fine," said Barry.

* * *

"Don't put your feet on the desk." said a certain black-haired boy with glasses.

"Huh?" said a certain blonde boy.

"Don't you think that's rude to the U.A. upperclassmen and the people who made this desk?" asked the kid with glasses.

"Nope, which junior high did you go to you side character? The top 2?" asked the blonde boy.

Barry's face went completely blank while Midoriya's contorted into a face of pure panic.

"I attended Somei Private Academy; my name is Tenya Iida." said the boy with glasses.

_Iida? As in Tensei Iida?_

"Somei? So you're a damn elite huh? Looks like I'll have fun crushing you." said the blonde boy.

Iida is taken aback by the remark.

"Crushing? That's cruel, do you truly aim to be a hero?" asked Iida.

Bakugo simply sighs and sits back in annoyance before noticing Barry and Midoriya at the door. Following Bakugo's line of sight, Iida faces the two students at the door as well, "You're…"

Barry was taken aback when the entire class turned their heads to the door.

"Oh Um" Midoriya managed to stutter before Iida began rapidly approaching him.

"Good Morning," said Iida, "I am from Somei Private Academy, My name is,"

"We heard," said Barry.

Midoriya stuttered nervously, "I'm Midoriya, Nice to meet you, Iida."

"Midoriya, you realized there was something more to the practice exam, didn't you?" said Iida.

"Huh?" said Midoriya.

"I had no idea, I misjudged you, I hate to admit It but you are better than me," said Iida.

_I think he's overreacting._

"Sorry, I didn't realize anything," said Midoriya.

Suddenly, a bubbly voice interrupted the conversation.

"Oh, that curly hair, you're the plain-looking one!"

Barry whirled to find a petite girl, small in stature, but high in energy. The girl completely ignored him and addressed Midoriya.

"You passed, just like Present Mic said! Of course, you did, that punch was amazing!" said the girl.

The small girl began physically punching the air while Midoriya reddened and covered his head in embarrassment.

Barry suddenly lurched forward as a massive force tackled him from behind.

"You made it my man!" exclaimed Kirishima.

Barry grew grin so wide it could wrap around the back of his head.

"You know it Kirishima," said Barry.

Barry felt a finger tap his shoulder and found that said finger belonged to a French boy.

"Oh hey it's you, I remember you from the entrance exam," said Barry.

"Oui, that was me, I just wanted to thank you for saving me in my time of need." The Boy shuddered, his thoughts drifting back to uncomfortable memories. Almost seamlessly, the boy shifted back to confidence.

"My name is Aoyama, Yuga Aoyama." said the boy.

Barry extended a hand

"Nice to meet you, Aoyama," said Barry.

Aoyama beamed and shook his hand. Barry continued making pleasantries, not noticing another presence in the room.

Mina Ashido didn't know how to feel about Barry's presence in the class. On the one hand, she was happy he succeeded in getting accepted. On the other, she felt uncomfortable around Barry after the accident. She thought it would be fine since she assumed she wouldn't see him again, but now he's in the same class as her.

_This is gonna be difficult._

It was then that Barry noticed her. His face, positively filled with joy, soured a little, reverting back to a blank face. He didn't look too happy to see her.

"Go somewhere else if you want to play at being friends, This is the hero course."

The class turned to the doorway to find a ragged man in a yellow sleeping bag. If Barry didn't know better, he would assume that the man was homeless. He didn't take good care of his hair or appearance. Barry practically blurred to his seat, right between Mina and Kirishima.

"It took you eight seconds before you were quiet. Time is limited, you kids aren't rational enough." said the man.

Slipping out of the bag, the man slunk over to the podium.

"I'm your homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa, nice to meet you." said the man.

A series of gasps could be heard throughout the room.

_He looks like he hasn't slept in a good few years._

"It's kind of sudden, but put your gym uniforms on and go out onto the field." said the man.

At that command, the class began to shuffle out to change.

* * *

"A quirk assessment test?"

Standing out in a wide-open dirt field, Barry felt just as confused as the rest of his class, Didn't the teacher already read up on their quirks?

"What about the entrance ceremony? The orientation?" voiced the bubbly girl.

"If you're going to become a hero, you don't have time for such leisurely events," said Aizawa.

_He's right to the point isn't he, I can probably expect this kind of intensity going forward._

"U.A.'s selling point is how unrestrictive it's school traditions are, that's also how the teachers run their classes," said Aizawa.

Barry felt the class collectively shuffle in nervousness.

"You kids have been doing Physical fitness tests where you weren't allowed to use your quirks since junior high right? The country still uses averages taken from results from students not using their quirks. It's not rational. The ministry of education is procrastinating." said Aizawa.

The teacher turned to the blonde boy, who's name was apparently Bakugo.

"Bakugo, what was your best softball throw in junior high?" asked Aizawa.

"67 meters," said Bakugo.

"Okay, show us using your quirk." Aizawa.

Stepping out into the field, Bakugo grabbed a softball.

"You can do whatever you want as long as you stay in the circle," said Aizawa.

Nodding, Bakugo did some stretched before planting his foot in the ground.

Leaning back he Blasted the softball into the sky with a resounding "DIE" echoing from his mouth.

The blast had a light so bright it caused Barry physical pain looking at it. He shuddered, realizing it looked a lot like the time he was struck by lightning.

"The most rational way to form the foundation of a hero is to know your maximum," said Aizawa.

Lifting his phone to show the class, The numbers read a resounding 705.2 meters. The class gasped with oohs and aahs.

"750 meters, Seriously!" shouted one classmate.

"This looks fun!" shouted another classmate.

"This looks fun, Huh," said Aizawa.

The class stopped murmuring as the teacher spoke up again.

"You have 3 years to become a hero, will you have that attitude the whole time?" said Aizawa.

An unsettling grin formed on the teacher's face.

"Whoever comes in last place in all eight exercises will be deemed to have no potential and will be punished with expulsion," said Aizawa.

Barry's eyes widened as he processed those words.

_Expulsion on the first day, Is that even allowed?_

"We're free to do what we want with our students," said Aizawa.

Aizawa pushed the hair up off his face to reveal his bloodshot eyes.

"Welcome to U.A.'s hero course," said Aizawa.

_Hell of a welcome!_

* * *

Iida stepped out onto the track for the 50-meter dash. He felt like he had this in the bag. Speed was his specialty. As he stood at the starting line, he turned to face his opponent. It was a blonde American boy with distinctly blue eyes. As the two racers began stretching, Iida realized it was the same boy that confronted him at the entrance exam.

"You!" said Iida.

"Me?" said Barry.

"Yes, You! I don't recall catching your name at the entrance exam," said Iida.

"Barry Allen," said Barry.

"Allen, I may have misjudged you as I misjudged Midoriya, I apologize," said Iida.

"You're fine, just try not to assume so much," said Barry.

Nodding, Iida readied himself for the run.

"Just a quick question Iida, Would you happen to be related to Tensei Iida?" asked Barry.

"He's my big brother yes, Why do you ask?" said Iida.

Barry smiled and replied, "No reason."

The tracking robot rolled onto the track.

"Ready," said the robot.

Iida tensed his muscles as he looked back at Barry.

"Set," said the robot.

He could almost see lightning bolting across his eyes.

"Go!" said the robot.

Iida blasted off and began a death sprint towards the goal, but almost immediately he found himself running blind as dust had clouded his vision.

"Wha-"

Crossing the finish line, He heard the robot recount the times.

"Racer 1, 3.04 seconds. Racer 2 .98 seconds." said the robot.

Iida's mouth gaped open as stood in bewilderment at what he just heard. The rest of the class followed suit.

"I Didn't even see him cross the full distance." said one tall girl.

"It looked like he just blurred across the track in an instant." said a boy with a tail.

"That's terrifying." said a short boy with purple balls for hair.

Iida's eyes darted around looking for Barry. He soon found Barry as he emerged from the dust storm, though he looked quite blurry and seemed to be radiating electricity.

Gritting his teeth, Iida stepped towards Barry.

"I have to admit, that was impressive, I submit to your Superiority."

"WhAt?!"

The word went by so fast that Iida had trouble recognizing it.

"Barry, Can you hear me?" asked Iida.

"YesI'mJustVibratingMyMoleculesALittleTooFastINeedToSlowDown" said Barry.

There were audible gasps as some of the girls covered their mouths and blushed. They clearly misheard Barry.

"Barry, Can you slow down?" asked Iida.

"YeahHoldOn." said Barry.

Barry's form unblurred, showing an unharmed Barry. His blonde hair was frayed and his body now caked in dust.

"See, fine." Barry managed to sputter before coughing up some dust.

"He's really fast!" said a classmate resembling a frog.

"What's with the electricity, that's my thing." said a boy with black and blonde hair.

"It's a really stylish power." said a boy with multiple appendages.

"Alright, Quit the conversation, I have other students to test," said Aizawa.

* * *

"Alright, these are the results. The total is simply the marks you got from each test," said Aizawa.

A hologram popped up from his tablet, showing a virtual leaderboard.

_Barry, Barry, Barry, Ah there I am, 3_ _rd_ _place._

Barry's heart sank when he saw that Midoriya had placed last.

_Oh man, Poor guy._

"By the way, I was lying about the expulsion."

The class all look at Aizawa with various levels of shock.

"It was a rational deception to bring out the upper limits of your quirk."

"WHAT" screamed most of the class.

"Of course, it was a lie, It would have been obvious if you just thought through it." Stated the tall girl who's name was apparently Momo.

Barry lazily swung his head towards her.

"Even if it was a lie, that was one hell of a motivator wasn't it."

"Your curriculums are discussed in pamphlets in your desks. Class dismissed."

* * *

Barry walked back into the classroom to retrieve his pamphlet. It was a very detailed schedule of his classes.

_Man, some of these teachers are pretty famous._

Barry felt a presence on his shoulder and turned to be faced with someone he didn't necessarily want to talk to.

Mina Ashido stood behind him, blocking this way to the exit.

"Hey, can we talk?" asked Mina.

Barry looked Mina dead in the eyes.

"Sure," said Barry.

"Listen, I know that I may have come off as patronizing-" said Mina.

"Let me stop you right there," said Barry.

Puzzled, Mina stopped talking and listened to Barry.

"Firstly, let me apologize for giving you the cold shoulder, I didn't really react rationally." said Barry, "Second, I moved past my problem now, so it's not that bad. Thirdly, I think in terms of friends, someone already beat you to the punch, That's it."

Mina pouted, "Well, I'm glad you moved past your issue. But I kinda still want to be your friend."

Barry felt a tinge of red reach his cheeks, "R-Really, Why is that."

"Well, You seem kinda interesting," said Mina.

"That's pretty vague," said Barry.

"HEY MY MAN WHAT'S UP!"

Kirishima slaps Barry in the back, causing him to stumble forward straight into Mina, knocking her over. Acting quickly, Barry grabbed Mina and set her back up to standing position before returning to his position.

"Huh, what just happened, I was falling wasn't I?" asked Mina.

"I managed to catch myself at super speed. You didn't fall," said Barry.

"Pretty sure I did," said Mina.

"Uh guys, I just wanted to invite you to the arcade," said Kirishima.

"Ohyeahsure." said Barry.

"You coming too, Mina?" asked Kirishima.

"Wait Mina's coming too?" asked Barry.

"Yeah, why not," said Kirishima.

Mina rested her head on her finger in thought.

_Please say no, I don't wanna think about what just happened._

"Sure, I'll go," said Mina.

_Gaah._

As the trio spilled out the door Mina whispered into Barry's ear.

"No touching Barry," said Mina.

Mina winked before upping her pace, leaving Barry behind. He felt his own brain shutting down.

_This is gonna be an uncomfortable year in so many_ _ways._

* * *

Shota Aizawa walked up the steps to the main office building of the U.A. grounds. He has had an eventful day, and he had a lot to discuss.

Stepping into a small office, he sat down in front of a large desk with a seat turned away from Aizawa. The desk had a name attached to it, Nezu.

"How was the first day Aizawa." said a squirrely voice.

"It was a surprisingly good one. The students all have potential," said Aizawa.

The seat behind the desk swiveled around, revealing a small white rodent about the size of a toddler.

"That's wonderful, though I doubt you came just to talk about that," said Nezu.

"Yes, it's all a matter of a particular set of students," said Aizawa.

"I assume you mean Mr. Midoriya and Mr. Allen," said Nezu.

"Yes actually, Midoriya shows potential despite the state of his powers, He should do well despite All-Might's coddling," said Aizawa.

"Nothing to fear there, I believe the boy will turn out great," said Nezu.

"However, the real issue is with this Allen kid," said Aizawa.

"Yes, It appears that he suffered an accident around 6 months ago, an event that no doubt unearthed his quirk," said Nezu.

"I don't think that theory is correct," said Aizawa.

Nezu looked puzzled despite his almost permanent smile.

"And why is that," asked Nezu.

"I tried to erase the boys' quirk during my assessment today," said Aizawa.

"Heh, I assume he ate the dirt," said Nezu.

"That's just the thing Nezu, my quirk didn't work. His power didn't get erased," said Aizawa.

Raising an eyebrow, Nezu leaned into his seat.

"That's very interesting, does he know you tried to erase his quirk," asked Nezu.

"No," said Aizawa.

"Don't tell him, I will look into this," said Nezu

Nezu leaped from his seat and walked over to the window, overlooking the entirety of the U.A. Campus.

"What do you think of this," asked Aizawa.

"I'm don't know for sure, but if my theory is right, we might be dealing with a new **force** of nature," said Nezu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who are concerneed this is just MHA with Barry tagging along, More Flash characters will appear. The story is mostly focused on Barry and his journey.


	6. Training Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new day! In this chapter, Barry is pitted against some of his classmates in order to gauge his abilities!

"I'm not hungry, mom …"

"Too nervous about the spelling bee to eat?"

A nine-year Barry stands still in corduroy pants, a plaid long-sleeved polo, and brown dress shoes. Kneeling directly in front of him was his mother, Nora Allen, who was busy fiddling with a bow tie on Barry's shirt.

"Are you sure this bow doesn't make me look like a nerd?" asked Barry.

"Not at all! You look sharp!" said Nora.

Barry clearly wasn't convinced.

"This is dumb, I shouldn't go up there," said Barry.

"There's nothing to be nervous about Barry, you'll do great. You know how I know?" said Nora.

"How?" asked Barry.

"Because you're lucky, and what do I say about luck," asked Nora.

"It's just preparation meeting opportunity," said Barry.

Nora smiled, "Exactly, and you've been preparing for weeks. When you get up on that podium and they give you the words, don't rush through them. Slow down, take your time, think through it and you'll find the answer."

"Ok, but what if I get the first word wrong?" asked Barry.

Nora giggled, "Then we get to go home early."

Barry smiled and attempted to suppress his giggles.

The door opened, and Barry's father, Henry, enters the room, "You ready Slugger?"

"YEAH." exclaimed Barry.

"Then let's get out there and take home the gold!" said Henry.

* * *

Barry opened his eyes, wrapped in the comfort of his blanket, taking stock of his surroundings he was still in his room, the posters and stacked comics all too familiar.

*Yawn*

Barry stretched his arms out and swung his legs off the bed and onto the floor. Looking down at the floor he recalled the memory he had just dreamed, a single tear dropping onto his foot.

_I never got to show mom my first-place trophy._

His eyes, at first solemn and distant, were quickly replaced by pure determination.

_I shouldn't get hung up on the past, and besides, today is an important day, It's the first day of Basic hero training._

Positively giddy with excitement, Barry jumped up off his bed and began dressing up.

* * *

Barry's mind raced through the normal classes of the day, English, in particular, is easy considering his country of origin. Even with Present Mic at the head.

"Which of these English sentences is wrong." said Present Mic.

The class was suitably silent.

_Really? This is supposed to be the top school!_

"CMON, Nobody, not even Mr. Allen." said Present Mic.

"I'm a native English speaker, I would literally have all the answers, I'm giving other people a chance to learn." said Barry.

While Barry was talking, He noticed Mina gesturing at him. She seemed to be shaking her head and waving her hand back and forth.

_Looks like Mina needs some help._

"Maybe Mina could answer the question?" said Barry.

Mina slammed her palm against her forehead

_Oh, I guess she just didn't want to answer the question._

Mina failed to answer correctly and was given extra homework, meanwhile, Momo got the answer right.

_Oh well, Birds need to push their chicks out of the nest if they want them to fly._

* * *

"I AM COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON."

The number one hero burst through the classroom door with the energy of a firework going off.

_He's got a lot of energy, but why is his costume different?_

The class all responded to his entrance with vapid enthusiasm.

"It's All Might!" shouted Kirishima.

"Wow, He really is a teacher!" said Uraraka.

"That's a costume from the silver age, isn't it?" said Midoriya.

_Well, that answers that question._

Arriving at the podium, All-Might's presence would be intimidating if he didn't exude such a warm feeling.

"I teach basic hero training; it is a subject where you train in different ways to be a hero. You'll take the most units out of this course," said All-Might.

Pausing to flex, All-Might continued, "Today We will be doing combat training, and to go with it are these!"

Pointing towards the well, various panels slid out, each holding a specific number.

"These are costumes based on your Quirk registrations and requests you sent in before school started," said All-Might.

The class all collectively applauded.

"After you change, meet up at ground beta," said All-Might.

"YES SIR" barked the class.

* * *

All-Might stood alone in the training area, staring into the dark entrance area, watching for the class.

Just then, the shadows of the class began to emerge from the hallway.

"They say the clothes make the man, young men and ladies, be fully aware from now on, you are heroes!"

Class 1-A emerged, in all their costumed glory.

"That's great everyone, you look to cool. Now shall we begin, you zygotes?" said All-Might.

The class was enthusiastic, though Midoriya then noticed that someone was missing, "Wait, where's Allen-Kun?"

"I've said it before, call me Barry, Midoriya."

Turning to face the voice, Midoriya finally found Barry.

He was wearing oddly familiar clothes, Tight blue shorts, and a plain red t-shirt, though there was an odd lightning bolt insignia on the front. Looking at him longer revealed other details though. He wore red and yellow boots that reached up towards his knees, special knee and elbow guards, what looked like biking gloves, and most noticeably, a visor with little lightning bolts sticking out the sides.

"Loving the new look Barry!"

Barry saw Mina approach; she was wearing what looked like an inverted tiger-striped dress with a white masquerade mask.

"Mina, we're here to train to be heroes, not to go out partying," said Barry.

Mina didn't look impressed at Barry's attempt at comedy.

"You look more dressed for a party than me," said Mina.

"Oh, and why is that?" said Barry.

"Cause your pants show more than Uraraka's whole suit." said Mina.

Both Barry and Uraraka grew redder than the sun, and Barry instinctively flung his hands over his crotch.

"Just for that comment, I'm sending these back after training to get them resized," said Barry.

"Awww, I kinda like it," said Mina.

"You're adding fuel to the fire," said Barry.

The conversation was interrupted by All-Might, "Now, It's time for combat training!"

"Sir" Iida raised his hand, "This is a battle center from the entrance exam, so will we be conducting urban battles again?"

"No, we will be taking two steps ahead. Most of the time, fighting villains takes place outside, but if you look at the numbers, atrocious villains appear indoors at a higher rate, Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals. In this world of heroes, the intelligent villains hide in the shadows. For this class, you'll be split into heroes and villains and fight in indoor battles." said All-Might.

The frog girl Tsuyu raised her hand, "Without basic training?"

"This is a real battle to understand those basics, however, the key this time is that there's no robot to just beat up this time." said All-Might, "Alright here's the deal, the situation is that the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in the hideout, the heroes are trying to dispose of that. The heroes need to catch the villains or get the nuclear weapon back in the allotted time while the villains need to protect the nuclear weapon the whole time or catch the heroes. Teams will be made via drawn lots."

_This sounds pretty fun, I bet drawing lots is meant to simulate haphazard on the go teamwork!_

* * *

Drawing lots, the teams are formed.

"AW YEAH, Best bro's united man!" said Kirishima.

Barry smirked; he had been paired with Kirishima.

_Perfect, this means we can put some combat plans we made before the entrance exam into action._

"And that's team K, Apologies Kirishima, but you will be fighting twice," said All-Might.

"It's all good, I can go to rounds no problem," said Kirishima.

"Now the first battle will be between…." All-Might pulls the balls out from the ballot box, "Team's B and K."

Glancing over at team B, Barry realized they were in for a tough fight. He identified his opponents as Mezo Shoji and Shoto Todoroki. Todoroki had his entire left side covered in ice, while Shoji wore a simple navy blue one-piece with brass buttons and no sleeves.

_They both look pretty dangerous, I know Shoji is strong, but what does Todoroki do?_

* * *

The bomb was set up on the top floor, and both Barry and Kirishima stood at the ready. Their opponents stood at the entrance.

"Alright, let's go over the plan one more time, They probably expect me to use my speed to blindside them and for you to guard, but we're gonna do the opposite, You're gonna hide in a corner on the top floor while I guard the bomb, you ambush them and I'll swoop in to help," said Barry.

"Sounds A-OK Buddy," said Kirishima.

"We just have to hold out for 15 minutes if that doesn't work," said Barry.

The horn sounds and the round begins.

Putting a thumbs up, Kirishima noisily slinks off to hide.

"He's not really subtle, but all he has to do is wait, We got this," said Barry.

The waiting starts and a minute goes by with nothing happening.

_They're not rushing, that's for sure._

Barry rubbed his shoulders, finding the temperature a little chilly.

"I should have worn long pants and sleeves," said Barry.

The air got progressively colder.

"Man, this sucks, did a blizzard hit this building?" said Barry.

Barry realized something at that moment.

_It's not a draft, It's a quirk!_

Before he could react, a wave of cold rushed over his body as the entire room became encased in ice, including most of his body. Barry struggled, Unable to move his body.

"What the hell!" said Barry.

Barry stopped struggling when he heard the sound of ice crushing under boots making their way towards the room.

Todoroki enters the room with an uncharacteristically smug smile.

"I've never seen you smile," said Barry.

"Don't make small talk, and don't bother trying to fight. You would just hurt yourself," said Todoroki.

Todoroki walked towards the bomb.

_I gotta think of something!_

"Hey Todoroki, 3 questions," said Barry.

Surprisingly, Todoroki stopped and turned back to face Barry.

"What?" asked Barry.

_He must be confident._

"One, Where's Shoji," asked Barry.

"Outside, it was too dangerous for him when I froze the building."

_He's not even in the building._

"How did you know where we are," asked Barry.

"Shoji's quirk allows him to make stronger copies of his appendages, including ears," said Todoroki.

"What did you do with Kirishima," asked Barry.

"He should be frozen solid, so he's captured," said Todoroki.

_Damn, I hoped for some backup._

"That's it, 3 questions."

Todoroki turned back to the bomb.

"One more, then I'm done!" said Barry.

"What?" asked Todoroki.

"You may remember that I can vibrate my molecules," said Barry.

"Yes?" asked Todoroki.

"When I vibrate my molecules the right way, I can phase through objects," said Barry.

Shoto put up his right hand, encased in frost.

"I'll just make the ice thicker," said Todoroki.

"I'm not finished," said Barry.

Shoto paused.

"That happens when I do it correctly, doing it wrong can yield an **Explosive** result!" said Barry.

Todoroki looked confused, "What are you-"

Barry suddenly emanated a massive shockwave, blasting the ice away and Todoroki past the bomb and into the frozen window. The window held, but Todoroki was dazed.

"Oww." groaned Todoroki.

Stumbling back up, he was quickly grabbed by Barry and tossed to the doorway.

"Look what happened, you got too confident and I swept the rig out from under you," said Barry.

Picking up Todoroki, Barry pivoted towards the bomb, "Just need to wrap you up in capture tape, and you'll be right as Rai-"

Barry was interrupted by a blow to the head that sent him tumbling toward the bomb.

"Ow." yelped Barry.

Barry looked up to see Shoji helping Todoroki to his feet.

"Well, this isn't good," said Barry.

Shoji formed a mouth with one of his dupli-arms, "Surrender villain, you're outnumbered."

"Not yet I will, with 10 minutes on the clock, I can hold both of you off," said Barry.

"You've got no chance," said Todoroki.

"Hey, don't count out the underdog," said Barry.

* * *

The rest of Class 1-A watch on various monitors as the battle continued.

"It's clear that both teams' plans have gone out the window," said Momo.

"Yes, I agree," chimed Iida.

"Right now, it's just a war of attrition, Barry has to keep both Shoji and Todoroki at bay for 10 minutes. It seems unlikely though since it's a one v two," said Momo.

* * *

Barry dodged another icicle while throwing a punch to force Shoji back.

He had lasted about 8 minutes of this so far, and he was almost out of juice.

_I must have given Todoroki a concussion because he's slower and easier to read, plus his aim's a little off. It's Shoji I have to worry about, He's strong and still high on stamina._

Barry felt like this was going to go on forever until he notices a hint of red in the doorway.

"BANZAI!"

Kirishima charged and practically bulldozed Todoroki from behind, knocking him down while Barry delivered a particularly nasty punch to Shoji, who slid into the wall, cracking the ice.

"What took you so long?" asked Barry.

"Even with my quirk, breaking super hard ice is super hard," said Kirishima.

"Heh," said Barry.

Stepping forward, Both Barry and Kirishima delivered a simultaneous punch to Shoji's head, shattering the ice behind him.

"Is that it?" asked Barry, "Are they down?"

"I guess so." said Kirishima, "Yeah, We Wo-"

A massive ice blast suddenly came from Todoroki, who had found his footing and launched a savage attack.

Barry reacted quickly and was able to avoid the main freeze, which caught Kirishima full-on and encased him in a large cube of ice. Unfortunately, Barry was not able to avoid the shockwave of the attack, as he was sent crashing through an iced window.

"How's that for overconfident," said Todoroki.

Barry hung from the window, barely finding the strength to start climbing.

"30 SECONDS LEFT." announced All-Might.

Everything hurt, His legs were jelly, his arms ached, and his head was doing circuit races at Mach 5, But he pushed onward.

Todoroki stumbled towards the bomb; he had endured a real thrashing but was ready to claim victory. Reaching out, Todoroki stepped forward to touch the bomb.

"Victory" exhaled Todoroki before he reached for the bomb. However, as he was about to touch it, his hands went through the bomb.

"What?!" said Todoroki.

Looking behind the bomb, he found Barry touching the bomb and vibrating his body, making the bomb and himself intangible.

"See you on the flip side," Barry grunted before falling beneath the floor, the bomb in tow.

"TEN SECONDS LEFT." announced All-Might.

"NO." shouted Todoroki.

Todoroki stumbled towards the doorway.

_If I can reach the stairs, maybe I can get to the bottom and get the –_

The thoughts were interrupted when he tripped and fell over. Looking back at his feet he realized that his body was caked in frost completely.

"I used too much." He exhaled before collapsing.

"THE ROUND GOES TO THE VILLAINS." announced All-Might.

* * *

"Jeez, both teams wrecked each other didn't they." Said Kaminari.

"You could say that again." Said Sero.

The teams stood next to each other, Barry clutching his sides with a bruised face (He fell 3 stories.), Todoroki with an ice pack on his head, Shoji also nursing his bruised face, and Kirishima wrapped in an electric blanket still chittering with his teeth.

"Now the review!" interrupted All-Might.

The monitor screen showed up, revealing the Villains to be the winners.

"With that said, can anyone name the MVP?" asked All-Might.

"Barry Allen sir." Answered Momo.

"Really?" grunted Barry through busted ribs.

"Yes, you used extensive skills in both physical quirk attacks and verbal distractions. You adapted very well when the situation put you on the back foot."

Barry blushed under his bruised face.

"Meanwhile, Shoto Todoroki fell victim to distractions and dropped the ball many times. Shoji didn't communicate enough with Shoto and was far too passive, finally, Kirishima was caught unawares and was out of action for 86% of the fight." said Momo, "We should always start with the basics to develop depth of learning, otherwise we cannot become top heroes."

"Perfectly said, Now onto the next round!" said All-Might.

Barry began violently coughing before coughing up a massive spurt of blood. The rest of the class looked on it shock.

"Huh, I might have a punctured lung." Barry rasped before stumbling towards the nurse's office.

* * *

It turns out that one of Barry's ribs had broken off and punctured his lung after falling through the floors. He had to have some gauze wrapped around his chest while Recovery girl chewed him out for willingly flinging himself through 3 floors.

Upon returning to the classroom, Barry was tackled by Mina, almost knocking him over.

"Nasty fall there buddy," said Mina.

Barry would laugh, but instead he let out a grunt of pain.

"Oh, right you broke your ribs, sorry," said Mina.

"Naw it's all right," said Barry.

"Hey, wanna grab a bite?" asked Mina.

Barry considered the offer.

_This sounds odd, like a trap._

"Sorry, I have things to do," said Barry.

"Like what?" said Mina.

"Redesign my costume," said Barry.

"Please don't change it," said Mina.

The request sounded genuine to Barry's surprise.

"Nope, It's Uncomfortable as well as revealing," said Barry.

"Oh well, At least tell me what the lightning bolt is for?" asked Mina.

Barry paused before putting on a smile.

"It's actually modeled after my favorite comic character, Jay Garrick AKA the Flash," said Barry.

"Nerd," said Mina.

"Hah, make jokes now, but Nerds rule the world," said Barry.

"You Wish," said Mina.

"Heh, I gotta go, It's the end of the day," said Barry.

"Kay, bye," said Mina.

As Barry walked out of the classroom, Mina realized something and sped out into the hallway.

"Barry!" said Mina.

"Yeah?" asked Barry.

"See you next fall."

Barry visibly cringed at the joke, which was so awful he could barely hold back his laughter.

"B-Bye." He managed to squeak out before exiting the building.

Mina turned back and re-entered the classroom, satisfied.

* * *

Barry returned home and sat down on the on his bed, it had been a long day. Turning to his bedside, he opened the bedside cabinet and pulled out a photo of his mother, together with his father and himself taken just outside the Spelling Bee.

_I remember when they announced that I was the winner, but they didn't have the trophy then and I couldn't show them my achievement._

Barry began to shed tears.

_I'm moving past this mom but know that I will always remember you._

Holding the photo close, Barry put it back in the drawers, kicked off his clothes, and turned out the light.

* * *

"Goddamn, It's hot out here."

"What did you expect Shigaraki, It's the outback."

"I expected didgeridoo's, not poisonous scorpions."

A man shrouded in shadow bushwhacked through the desert in the hot sun alongside a hooded figure.

"We're almost there." said the hooded figure.

It was then that the duo had found their target. An old shack in the middle of nowhere.

"Is this really the place Kurogiri?" asked Shigaraki.

"Yes, I've dealt with him before, He's been in the business longer than most other allies and retained his edge, figuratively and literally," said Kurogiri.

"Didn't he retire?" asked Shigaraki.

"About a decade ago yes, but for reasons unknown, he put himself out on the market again," said Kurogiri.

"I hope what you said is true because we're paying this guy premium for his services," said Shigaraki.

"As I said, we can rely on him," said Kurogiri.

Reaching the shack, Kurogiri produced a key and unlocked the door before ushering Shigaraki inside.

Observing the interior, It was a normal shack, a one-room building with a bed, kitchen, and furniture stuffed together.

"Is this the right place?" asked Shigaraki.

"I severely doubt it." spoke a thick Australian voice.

Turning towards the doorway, both Kurogiri and Shigaraki were met by a stocky ginger man in a jacket, scarf, and beanie. He looked like he was dressed for winter.

"Isn't it a little hot for clothes like that," said Shigaraki.

"Aren't ye in the wrong house." He responded.

"Don't threaten me," said Shigaraki.

Shigaraki slipped off his coat, revealing a variety of hands gripping his torso, arms and face.

"Don't look at me like that freakshow." said the man.

"Then explain who you are, now," said Shigaraki.

Kurogiri stepped between them

"His name is Digger Harkness, and he's the deadliest assassin down under," said Kurogiri.

"So you say," said Shigaraki.

"Don't doubt my skill youngster, I survived this long mostly on skill," said Harkness.

"With nothing to show for it," said Shigaraki.

"Shigaraki stop, we need to do business with this man," said Kurogiri.

Turning to Harkness, Kurogiri sighed.

"Listen, Harkness, I'll get straight into it, we could use your help," said Kurogiri.

"I dunno, I might need money but when the league of villains is involved, the plans are usually too big," said Harkness.

"Scared?" asked Shigaraki.

"Smart more like," said Harkness.

"We will give you 50000000 Australian dollars for this job," said Kurogiri.

"Blimey, that's insane. Who do you want dead?" said Harkness.

"The symbol of peace," said Shigaraki.

Harkness paused before considering the deal.

"No, It's too big," said Harkness.

"Oh, come on, you can't be that cowardly," said Shigaraki.

Harkness was silent.

"Who made you weak, a Significant other, A child," said Shigaraki.

Harkness flung an object at Shigaraki, embedding itself just inches from his ear.

It was a metal boomerang, polished to perfection and sharpened to a razor's edge.

"You wanted proof of skill, so I gave you a free demonstration," said Harkness.

Harkness turned to Kurogiri.

"One last job, No more," said Kurogiri.

"One last job?" Harkness sighs, "You got this old dog."

Satisfied, Kurogiri opened a portal, Shigaraki walking through immediately.

"Coming Captain Boomerang?" said Shigaraki.

Harkness smiles, "The Name still has a ring to it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More chapters ported! I'll have the first ten chapters ported by tomorrow night. It spans season one of the anime!


	7. What makes a hero.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry settles into life at U.A., choosing a class rep. However, when darker forces begin to diverge, Barry will have to face his first true foe!

For someone who's fast enough to break the sound barrier if he tried hard enough, Barry was late surprisingly often.

_I gotta go to sleep earlier!_

Barry was rushing to not be late, having had many other close calls with his homeroom teacher.

* * *

" _Barry, you've been late twice this month, one more time and I'm giving you a suspension."_

* * *

_Oh, god I don't want this to happen, please let me get in._

Barry's heart sank at the sight of a large metal wall extending behind the standard wall.

_Oh no, it's the dreaded U.A. wall._

The U.A. wall was a safety precaution that activated whenever someone without a pass or student I.D. attempted to enter the school grounds. Luckily, it activates for a certain section of the facility. The problem is that Barry is locked out of the closest entrance and the next closest entrance was about half a mile farther ahead.

_If I'm fast I can make it._

His heart sank however when he found the source of the walls activation, A crowd of reporters. They had crowded around the closed entrance in protest, likely interviewing students as they entered.

"One of them must have activated the wall," said Barry.

It was then that one of the reporters noticed Barry., "Hey, it's another student, maybe he has something to say."

The mob of media began to rush towards him, practically making the ground shake, "What do you think of All-Might as a teacher?" "Is he different as a teacher than as a hero?" "Does he say anything controversial?"

The mob began to trample Barry both figuratively and literally.

"Gah, you're to close, and I need to get to class I'm gonna be late." yelped Barry.

"We've gotten next to nothing on All-Might, You must have something." said a reporter.

_This is getting bad, at this rate I'm facing the suspension within my first month._

Barry then noticed one of the U.A. wall panels slide down, he could almost make out a grumpy scruffy face.

_Aizawa?_

The grey scarf shot out from the entrance and wrapped itself around Barry's foot, tripping him up and causing him to fall before pulling him under the legs of various reporters and out of the crowd. He was dragged all the way through the entrance before it sealed up again, leaving the Media exhausted and without comment.

"Jeez, thanks, Teach," said Barry.

"Call me Sensei and get to class before I suspend you," said Aizawa.

"Right away Sensei!" said Barry.

Barry quickly fled to the class, leaving Aizawa to contemplate how All-Might could possibly handle all the attention the media gives him.

* * *

"Good work on yesterday's combat training, I saw the video's and results," said Aizawa.

Aizawa addressed the rest of the class from the podium.

"Bakugo, you're talented so don't act like a child. Midoriya, you settled for breaking your arm again, you can't keep saying you can't help it because you can't control your quirk, I don't like saying the same thing over and over again, so as long as you fix the control issue, there will be a lot you can do," said Aizawa.

"Yes, Sir," said Midoriya.

"Finally, Allen, you won the fight, but only barely and by injuring yourself, Next time try and think of a smarter way out without hurting yourself," said Aizawa.

"I will sir," said Barry.

"Great now onto homeroom business," said Aizawa, "Apologies about the late notice but today I will have you-"

_I hope it's not another impromptu test for potential._

"-decide on a class representative."

_Oh, thank god it's a normal school thing._

What followed was an eruption of activity as various classmates raised their hands and called out their wish to be representative, The chaos unending until a single loud voice took the classes attention.

"Silence, please!"

The class turned to see the voice belonged to Iida.

"It is a job with the serious responsibility of leading others, it's not a job for just anyone who wants to do it, it's a calling that requires the trust of those around you. Therefore, if we use democracy to decide upon a true leader then we should hold an election to choose one," said Iida.

The idea was clearly a good one, even if Iida's outstretched hand shooting into the sky showed that he clearly deeply wanted to be the class rep.

_If you think about it, anyone who gets multiple votes would probably be considered reliable. This is actually a great plan._

"Fine, just make sure someone is chosen by the end of class," said Aizawa, slipping into his sleeping bag.

* * *

When given the chance to vote for someone, Barry chose to vote for Iida.

_He seems to want the position, and under his strict personality, he seems smart and very qualified for the position._

* * *

The election results were shown, and Barry was given 2 votes alongside Momo Yaoyoroza, with Midoriya earning the top spot with 3 votes.

"I got top spot!" exclaimed Midoriya.

Midoriya was both extremely excited and nervous. Meanwhile, Iida was very crestfallen.

"Only one vote," said Iida.

Yaoyoroza stepped forward, "While Midoriya is the undisputed winner, Allen and I should be put in a second election for deputy class rep."

"Actually," Barry answered. "I think you would be more qualified than me for the job, so I'll drop out."

_I'm shooting to be the best hero I can be, but I don't want to jump into uncharted waters and disadvantage the rest of my class._

Aizawa rose from his resting place, "Then it's decided, Izuku Midoriya will be class representative and Momo Yaoyoroza will be deputy class representative."

The class murmured in agreement while Iida sat crestfallen.

* * *

The eatery was packed as usual, likely due to the fact that every course of the school ate lunch together. Barry received his lunch, a beef bowl, and contemplated sitting with Mina and Kirishima again before spotting Midoriya sitting with Iida and Uraraka.

_Iida didn't look too happy, maybe I should cheer him up!_

"Hey guys, mind if I sit with you?" asked Barry.

"Sure, that's fine!" said Uraraka.

Smiling Barry sat down and began working on the beef bowl.

"Hey Midoriya, congrats on becoming class representative!" said Barry.

"Thanks, but if I'm being honest, I don't think I'm qualified," said Midoriya.

"You are," said Iida.

"You'll be fine," said Uraraka.

"You go this," said Barry.

The trio of answers surprised Midoriya.

"Your courage and judgment at critical moments make you worth following, that's why I voted for you." Followed Iida.

"It was you!" shouted Midoriya in disbelief.

"But didn't you want to be class rep Iida, you have the glasses and everything?" added Uraraka.

"Wanting to do it and being suitable for it are separate issues, I merely did what I judged to be correct," said Iida.

"I thought you were perfect for the role, it's why I voted for you," said Barry.

Iida's head shot up in surprise, "You were my one vote?"

"Yeah, If I'm being honest, you have all the right qualities. You've got attention to detail, real dedication and drive to become a hero, and you want to push us to become better heroes. Not to mention how eloquently spoken you tend to be." said Barry.

Iida stared at Barry in a blank face before smiling.

"Thank you, it is unfortunate for me that the rest of the class didn't think the same way."

Barry smiled, having successfully cheered up his friend.

"Speaking of word choice, are you a rich boy, Iida?" piped Uraraka.

"Rich?" Iida looked slightly saddened. "I tried changing the way I talk to avoid being called that."

Midoriya, Uraraka, and Barry leaned in hoping to learn more.

Iida sighed before beginning.

"Yes, my family has been comprised of heroes for generations, I'm the second son."

"Wow." "That's really cool!"

"Do you know the Turbo hero Ingenium?"

Izuku seemed to know, "Of course! He's a really popular hero with 65 sidekicks at his agency, wait, don't tell me?"

"He is my elder brother," said Iida, "a likable hero who honors the rules and likes people! I set my sights on becoming a hero because I want to be like my brother!"

Barry beamed, having remembered his experience with Ingenium.

"Actually Iida, I've met your brother," said Barry.

The rest of the table looked back at Barry with surprise.

"Really, that's awesome!" exclaimed Uraraka.

"I do remember you inquiring about my brother during the quirk assessment, I am curious as to your connection to him," said Iida.

"I met him at a quirk gym on the track, he gave me some great pointers on using my quirk," said Barry.

"I see, that explains your similar technique," said Iida.

Barry was happy to find something else in common with Iida, conveniently leaving some of the more embarrassing parts out.

"If I'm being honest, I voted for Midoriya because I felt I wasn't ready," said Iida.

Barry poked his head up from his bowl.

"That's ok, taking your time to prepare is important, plus, if I'm being honest if you end up being anything like your brother, you're gonna be one hell of a hero!" said Barry.

Iida blushed under the praise, "T-Thank you, Barry."

It was at this point that Midoriya seemed to pipe up in an attempt to tell Iida something, "Oh, Iida, about the entrance exam-"

*BEEP* *BEEP*

An alarm began to blare, interrupting Midoriya.

"There has been a level 3 security breach, all students please evacuate outdoors promptly." announced the alarm system.

Barry frowned, "What's level 3 security?"

A fellow classmate spoke up, "It means someone is trespassing on school grounds, I've never seen anything like this in my 3 years here, you should hurry too!"

The entire cafeteria begins to rush towards the exit, forming a mass of people that completely clog up the hallway.

"Ow, what's going on." Said Uraraka.

"As expected of the best of the best, everyone reacts quickly to a crisis." Chimes Iida.

"They're so quick that they caused a panic." Grunted Midoriya, who was getting crushed between the bodies.

"You would think that they would have more exits." Joked Barry.

"Oh shoot!" Midoriya managed to blurt before being trampled by the crowd.

"Midoriya!" Barry shouted before pushing back to try and help him up, "Excuse me, sorry, pardon me."

Barry pushed through the crowd and almost gave up hope before spotting Midoriya crushed against the glass.

"Hey, take my hand!" said Barry.

Midoriya reached out and grabbed Barry's hand, allowing Barry to pull him free of the deadlock.

"Geez, who the heck is stupid enough to trespass on school grounds."

Looking out the window Barry got his answer.

It was the media.

"What the hell, how did the media get onto the grounds with the Barrier enable.?!" asked Barry.

"I don't know, but the entire eatery is panicking, someone's going to get hurt," said Midoriya.

Nodding to each other in agreement, Barry and Midoriya began to inform people at the back that everything was alright, but they didn't make much progress, the pack of students in the hall was moving in one direction, trampling those who didn't follow. It didn't help that everyone was screaming a each other, making it difficult for anyone to hear the news that it was only the media that trespassed.

Barry considered manually separating people using his speed when he witnessed the strangest sight he'd seen in a while. Iida had somehow managed to put himself above the main entrance.

"Everyone, everything's fine!" announced Iida.

His position and loud voice managed to get everyone's attention.

"It is just the media, there is nothing to panic about! This is U.A. let us act in a way that is befitting the best of the best!" said Iida.

He seemed to get to everyone because the crowd calmed down right after his passionate speech. The timing was perfect too because the police arrived to disperse the crowd of reporters.

* * *

"Come on class rep, time to start," said Aizawa.

The class had gathered after lunch to decide class officers. Midoriya was particularly nervous as class rep, "N-Now let us decide class officers, but first can I say something!"

Clearing his throat, Midoriya spoke his mind, "I think that Iida should be class president, after all, he was able to get everyone's attention in such a cool way, I think it would be best for Iida to do it."

The class voiced their agreements before being interrupted by the teacher, "You're wasting time, I don't care what you do, just do it."

Iida promptly rose from his seat and cleared his throat, "If the class rep has nominated me, then it cannot be helped. From this day onward, I, Tenya Iida, promise to carry out the duties of class representative!"

The rest of the class cheered in agreement, all except for Yaoyoroza, who was slightly bitter for not being promoted when Midoriya stepped down despite being deputy class rep.

"For today's basic hero training, It turned into a class with 3 instructors, All-Might, me, and one more person."

The class gave each other strange looks.

" _Turned into"? There must have been more to the alarm than was let on. I hope it's nothing too bad._

Sero raised his hand, "Excuse me, what'll we be doing?"

"Disasters, shipwrecks, and everything in between, it's rescue training."

The class erupted into conversation.

_Rescue huh, that should be a challenging subject._

"I'm not done, you can decide if you want to wear your costume or not this time because there are probably costumes that limit your abilities, too. Training will take place off-campus, so we're taking a bus. That's it, so get ready." said Aizawa.

As the class separated to change, Barry found his own costume case and opened it, only to find most of his costume missing. Finding a note at the bottom, Barry read it aloud, "Resizing in progress, left practical parts in case of needed use." Looking over his costume case again, Barry let out a sigh.

"Who writes notes like these?" Throwing the note away, Barry scanned over the case to see what he had left. His elbow and knee guards remained as well as his custom-made boots, "Guess I better go with my gym clothes."

* * *

Barry took his seat on the bus, choosing a corner seat near the back. He settled in comfortably when his phone started to ring. Looking at caller I.D., he smiled when he saw who it was.

"I'm not under arrest, am I?" asked Barry.

"Oh, hardy har." said the voice.

"Ha, did I fool you," said Barry.

"Not in the least Barry." said the voice.

Barry smiled, the man on the other end of the phone was Forrest, a police officer that had moved to Japan with him as his legal guardian, he had grown into a second father to Barry.

"How's the desk work?" asked Barry.

"Belligerent and excessive," said Forrest.

"Do you even know what the word belligerent means, because if what you're saying is true the words are jumping right off the page," said Barry.

"It just keeps coming Barry, that's what I mean," said Forrest.

"Yeah, I can imagine that," said Barry.

"How's school?" said Forrest.

"Pretty great actually, my classmates are all really friendly," said Barry.

"Heh, any girls?" said Forrest.

"I know the road that that question leads down to, so I'm just gonna say no," said Barry.

"Any hot guys?" said Forrest.

"Seriously, how can you turn it around like that," said Barry.

"C'mon, tell me for real!" said Forrest.

Sighing and looking around, Barry spotted Mina.

_Maybe not the best example, wait why give an example at all._

"Yes, there are girls," said Barry.

"Oh, you gotta tell me more," said Forrest.

"That's all you asked so that's all your getting," said Barry.

"Oh, so you wanna know about my steamy office life," said Forrest.

"One, I never said that, two, you have no office life," said Barry.

"Yeah, I do, every once in a while, I get to talk to a pro hero, just this morning that giant lady hero came in, and man was she a smoking piece of-" said Forrest.

"If you want me to remove your number from my contacts, you're going down the right path," said Barry.

"What, there's nothing wrong with a joke here and there," said Forrest.

"Maybe save the jokes for people who can tell them right," said Barry.

Both Barry and Forrest chuckled to each other.

"Hey Barry?" said Forrest.

"Yeah?" said Barry.

"...Nevermind, have a good rest of the day." said Forrest.

Barry could sense something unresolved but chose not to dig deeper.

"OK, you too." said Barry.

Hanging up, Barry rested his head on the window.

* * *

"Everyone, I've been waiting for you."

Standing in front of the class was a person dressed in what looked like an astronaut suit on steroids.

_That's the space hero, Thirteen._

"Let's go inside without delay!" said Thirteen.

* * *

The rest of the class enthusiastically follows Thirteen inside the Domed building.

The class enters the domed building, revealing a variety of area's showcasing different disasters.

"This is a training ground I made with different types of accidents and disasters in mind, I call it the Unforeseen Simulation Joint or USJ for Short!" said Thirteen.

The class stared in wonder.

"Thirteen, where's All-Might, he was supposed to meet us here." Deadpanned Aizawa.

"About that-" Thirteen whispered into Aizawa's ear, "That's the height of irrationality, well it can't be helped, Let's begin."

"Right, let's see, before we begin, I have to say one, two, maybe three, more like four-" said Thirteen.

_Well, jeez Thirteen has a lot to say, I guess._

"So, Everyone, I'm sure you are aware of my quirk, Black Hole, It can suck up anything and turn it into dust." said Thirteen.

"You've been able to use that quirk to save people from all kinds of disasters, right?" Piped Midoriya.

"Yes, but it is a power that can kill easily, some of you also have quirks like that, right? In a superhuman society, personal quirks have been certified and stringently regulated, so that doesn't seem to be a problem at first glance. But never forget that there are many quirks that can turn deadly in the wrong circumstances. With Aizawa's fitness test, you found out the possibilities of your own hidden powers, and with All-Might's person to person combat training, I think you experienced the dangers of using your powers against others. This class is a fresh start, you shall learn how to use your quirks to save people's lives, you don't have powers so you can harm people, so I hope you leave understanding that these powers are for you to help others. That is all, thank you for listening!" announced Thirteen.

The class erupted into applause at Thirteen's impassioned speech. However, things were about to take a sinister turn. The massive bright lights illuminating the dome began to flicker, and the fountain in the center of the compound began to malfunction, when a massive black portal formed in front of the fountain, a hand reaching through.

"Gather round and don't move, Thirteen, Protect the children." Commanded Aizawa.

Barry began to feel a strange weight to the room. It felt overwhelming, almost dangerous.

"Guys, what's that?" asked Kirishima, pointing at the portal.

Looking to where Kirishima pointed Barry spotted a massive black portal, tons of strangely dressed people pouring out.

_Something doesn't feel right._

"Don't move, those are villains," Aizawa stated while placing his goggles on his head.

_The security breach, that was them wasn't it._

"Get the children to safety, I can hold out until backup arrives," said Aizawa.

Thirteen herded the class away towards the exit while Aizawa leaped forward to engage the villains.

"Will he really be okay?" Barry asked worryingly.

"He'll be fine, he might not look like much, but he can handle himself." said Thirteen.

The class had almost made it to the exit when they were stopped by a large mass of purple smoke, a mass that spoke, "Nice to meet you, we are the League of Villains, it may be presumptuous of us but we have invited ourselves into the home of the heroes, U.A. High School, in order to have All-Might, the Symbol of Peace, take his last breath."

_They're here to kill All-Might, that seems like a tall order for most villains, but banding together might do the trick!_

"I believe that All-Might should have been here, has there been some kind of change." said the mass.

The mass of darkness begins to widen, eclipsing the students.

"Well, that is neither here nor there, this is the part I am to play." said the mass.

Barry noticed one of Thirteen's fingertips open.

_His quirk, that should make quick work of him._

Barry was ready to watch thirteen work when he noticed a glint on his very right, it looked like an object, and it was getting closer. Following it mentally, he realized it was heading straight for Thirteen!

"Watch out!" shouted Barry.

Screaming forward, Barry sprinted in front of Thirteen and reached out to catch the object before it collided with the pro hero.

"YEOW." Barry cried out in pain as the object collided with his hand, cutting up his fingers like a razor. The object spun out of control and landed in front of the villain. Looking at the object, Barry realized it was a boomerang. Looking back at his hand, he realized it was covered semi-deep cuts and was bleeding heavily.

"Barry, what are you doing." Screamed Mina.

"Who sharpens a freaking boomerang." Joked Barry.

"I do mate."

A man steps out from behind the large villain and picks up the boomerang, which had a surprising lack of blood on it. The man was slightly out of shape, with a visible belly. He was dressed for winter, with a navy-blue sweatshirt and scarf as well as beanie. Bringing the boomerang up to his face, he began shaving his ginger scruff.

"I was hoping to take out the other professional, but unfortunately we had a quick thinker in this group of kiddos." said the man.

"Who asked their dad to come to the regular villain meetup." joked Barry.

"Funny one, aren't you." said the man.

The man addresses the larger villain.

"I want a one on one with roadrunner here, make sure the fight happens in an open area." said the man.

"That's not your directive." said the mass.

"C'mon, I could use the target practice." said the man.

"T-Target practice?" Said Midoriya, growing more nervous.

"Fine, but if All-Might arrives, We need you to help us." said the mass.

"I'll be quick." said the man.

The mass of darkness then shot forward, enveloping the entire class. The next thing Barry knew, he found himself in an odd corner of the dome, feeling the concrete under his hands, Barry determined he wasn't in any of the disaster zones.

_Wait, the rest of the class, what happened to them?!_

Barry began to speed towards the stairs again when he felt a change in the wind. Torquing his body, Barry managed to dodge another boomerang.

"Quick on your feet to I see."

Barry turned to find the man catching his projectile.

"You just achieved a great honor." said the man.

"Yeah, and what's that?" asked Barry.

The man grinned, "You get to be Captain Boomerang's Target Dummy!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stated this back in chapter 5, but this fic will diverge slightly in some ways as time goes on. The internship arc in particular as it's an entirely Original Arc.


	8. Sharp Objects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The attack on the USJ continues! Barry must contend with the wildly dangerous Captain Boomerang in order to survive, even learning a new power in the process.

Why Iida stood with a small group of his classmates and Thirteen, facing off against the strange portal villain. Most of their classmates had disappeared after being enveloped by the dark cloud surrounding the villain.

"Shoji, is everyone here, can you check?" said a worried Iida.

"Everyone's scattered, but they're all still in the building," said Shoji, using his dupli-arms to scan the complex.

"They will not be alive when we are done." said the villain.

The group stares down the villain, clearly intimidated by the villain.

"Don't be so sure, our class is the best of the best, they can manage." Said Mina.

"I doubt that, you are all mere children, we adults have experience. Take the man who was with me moments ago, Digger Harkness." said the villain.

The group of students look at each other in confusion.

"Must not be a big villain." joked Sato.

"Oh, he isn't, at least not here in Japan. Harkness, also known as Captain Boomerang, is Australia's Number 1 Villain." said the villain.

Thirteen's eyes widen.

"See, even Thirteen knows of him," said Uraraka.

The group all glance worryingly at Thirteen.

"Sensei, is this Harkness that bad?" Said Mina

"I'm afraid so. Harkness has been active for 20 years and his confirmed hero kills lies in the triple digits." said Thirteen

The group audibly gasps in fear.

"This guy has killed hundreds of heroes?!" exclaimed Uraraka.

"Wait, he singled out Barry!" Shouted Mina.

"Once Harkness is done, your friend won't be much more than a fleshy pincushion." said the villain.

* * *

"Holy shit!"

Barry dodged another boomerang, ducking under it before coming to a stop.

"A lesser marksman might ask you to slow down, but I think I prefer the challenge," said Harkness.

Barry glared at Harkness before feeling a sharp pain in his side.

"GAH!" yelped Barry.

Clutching his side, Barry noticed the newly formed cut. The villain catches his weapon and smirked.

"Quick on your legs but slow in the noggin aren't you, don't you know boomerangs come back?" said Harkness.

"Oh, that's just hurtful," said Barry.

Harkness smiles, "Chipper and fast, just the way I like my targets."

Barry scanned the villains face and found it oddly familiar. He could swear he had seen it before.

"Eyes on me mate, you wanna live longer that's my advice," said Harkness.

Barry is shaken out of thought just fast enough to notice to two boomerangs coming at him. One is about knee height while the other flies towards his head.

Barry dives between them but fails to dodge a third boomerang as it embeds itself in his hand.

"OWW, how many of these things do you have." Shouted Barry as he pulled the object out of his hand.

Harkness smirked, pulling back his coat and revealing rows of razor-sharp boomerangs tucked into various pockets.

"Between your face, the choice of weaponry, and the awful accent, I can probably assume who you might be," said Barry.

"Take a gander little boy," said Harkness.

"Digger Harkness, or as the heroes call you, Captain Boomerang," said Barry.

"Aw, looks like someone that's not from down-under knows me!" said Harkness.

Barry dived again as the twin boomerangs came back at him from behind. Harkness effortless catches them both.

"Wising up I see," said Harkness.

"I'm a fast learner," said Barry.

"Not fast enough," said Harkness.

Barry dodged another boomerang thrown by Harkness, checking his reflection in the perfectly polished weapon.

"You were saying?" said Barry.

"I'm beginning to think you're too chatty," said Harkness.

What happened next happened too fast for Barry to process. Harkness throws another boomerang at Barry, prompting him to jump out of the way. However, this puts him in the path of the returning boomerang. Barry manages to torque his body in midair to avoid a fatal strike, but the weapon still embeds itself in his leg.

"AARGH!" screamed Barry.

"See, when you get chatty, you stop focusing on the fight, and that leads to the nasty business your dealing with right now."

Barry felt his fear begin to develop.

_I might be fast, but he's got a massive advantage in skill and experience, I can't stay here._

Barry starts to limp away, channeling his speed and zooming out of Harkness's range.

"That little runt really is fast, even with one and a half legs," said Harkness.

Harkness catches the remaining boomerang, pulls out a whetstone, and begins sharpening it, "Well, If I can hit a kid that fast, I can hit the big boy in blue."

* * *

Barry stumbled after putting some distance between himself and Harkness, kneeling while catching his breath.

"Ouch." Barry winced while touching the boomerang still stuck firmly in his thigh. His healing factor would probably cover most of the superficial cuts, but even if he gets the boomerang out, his leg would need some time to recover.

_Why did I even stick around? That guy's way too dangerous!_

Barry turned his gaze to the rest of the dome, taking in the different sounds and sights.

_It looks like I'm not the only one who got displaced, I need to find a place to recover, somewhere to hide, but there are villains everywhere._

It was at that point that a massive burst of water fountained into the air from the shipwreck disaster zone.

_That looks bad, I gotta help._

And with that thought, Barry speed-limped off towards the water.

* * *

"I had a bowel movement this morning, so those things will stick all day." Piped an exhausted Mineta, having helped Midoriya and Tsuyu escape their predicament. Despite a deadly scenario involving a capsizing ship, he had been the key to their escape.

Midoriya began to mumble, "We were lucky that was all of them, I took a huge gamble. Normally, they would have kept some people underwater in reserve, I was trying to keep my composure, but I couldn't stay calm-"

"Midoriya, stop that. It's scary," said Asui.

Midoriya stopped muttering and faced his classmate Asui.

"Rather than reflecting back, shouldn't you think about what to do next," said Asui.

"Y-You're right." Midoriya's words were interrupted by a groan from his own mouth as he glanced down at his 2 broken fingers. Fingers he broke to win the fight against the aquatic villains.

"Are you all right?" asked Tsuyu.

"Y-Yeah, anyway, we should make getting help our top priority," said Midoriya.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here!"

The Trio of students turn to find their bright peer, Barry Allen, has limped his way into the water beside them, and he did not look good, "Though if I'm being honest, I might be the one who needs help."

"BARRY! What happened to you, and why is there so much blood in the water." stuttered Midoriya.

"I got a villain who throws razor-sharp boomerangs, what kind of villains did you get?" asked Barry.

"We got scary aquatic villains," said Mineta.

"Where are they now?" asked Barry.

Asui gestures towards a floating mass of villains stuck together with Mineta's balls.

"You guys got so lucky," said Barry.

"WHAT, are you joking, I would trade places with you any day over those guys." Piped Mineta

"Trust me, you're wrong, you don't wanna be a target dummy for the guy I fought," said Barry.

"Do you know his name." inquired Asui.

"Yeah, Digger Harkness AKA Captain Boomerang, he's considered Australia's deadliest villain," said Barry.

Midoriya piped up, "OH, I've read about him, he's killed so many heroes but he takes out villains as well if the price is right-"

"AAH, MIDORIYA STOP YOU'RE MAKING HIM SOUND LIKE A DEATH SENTENCE TO ANYONE HE MEETS." Screamed Mineta, literally crying.

"He is." Piped Barry, "Hey I need your help, can someone pull the boomerang out of my leg."

Barry lifts his leg, showing the metal weapon embedded in his thigh. Mineta practically faints.

"Here, let me help." Gestured Asui.

"Careful, it's way sharper than it looks," said Barry, wincing as Asui carefully pulled the weapon out. Pocketing the boomerang, Barry continued, "Ok guys, what's our plan of action."

"It would be best to follow the shore, avoid the central plaza as we head to the exit." Stated Midoriya.

"What about Aizawa?" questioned Barry

"He drew a large number of villains to the plaza, but there are too many of them, I think he overexerted himself." said Midoriya.

"If he's tired, he doesn't stand a chance against Harkness," said Barry.

"What makes you say that? His quirk can suppress any villain's ability to fight," said Asui.

"Not Harkness," said Barry.

The trio turns towards Barry, "You don't understand, He's not just Australia's most wanted, for a long time, nobody knew how he was so deadly, what kind of quirk he had. It took years for people to learn the truth." Barry looks worryingly at his friends, "The truth was… he had no quirk."

He let the words sink in.

Mineta began to stutter, "You mean that…"

"…Every kill he ever made was done out of pure skill, he's just that good." said Asui.

The trio began to understand the danger they are truly in.

"We have to help Aizawa, lessen the load," said Barry.

"ARE YOU CRAZY, with what we're up against, we need to get out of here," shouted Mineta.

"We have to try," said Barry.

* * *

The small squad of students approaches the shore, taking care to stay hidden.

"My leg has healed up a little, I won't be running at top speed, but I should be able to get us out of there quickly if things go south," said Barry.

"We're just here to see how things are going, right?" said Mineta.

"Yes Mineta, that's the plan," said Asui.

The group peers over the shore's edge to catch a small group of villains gets clobbered by Aizawa's ropes. Barry looked in awe at a professional at work. Suddenly, the apparent head of the group of villains, a man covered in hands, rushes forward at the pro hero. Aizawa meets him in a clash.

_Aizawa doesn't look too bad, he might outlast them._

Barry's hopes were dashed when he saw Aizawa's elbow begin to crumble, revealing tendons under the now non-existent skin. Aizawa backs off, retreating to catch his breath.

_He knows his quirk, he can erase it, this is winnable._

Aizawa stared the villain down, ready to make another move, but was distracted by a glint in the corner of his eye.

* * *

_Blood, hot steaming blood, I guess this is what it's like to see red._

Aizawa's vision was instantly interrupted by an object striking the side of his head. His mask was knocked clean off, and a massive spurt of blood impeded his vision and made his brain woozy.

Then the rest of the blades came, one after another, boomerang after boomerang flew into Aizawa, sinking deep into his flesh. By the end of the assault, he was on his hands and knees, blood pouring from his body onto the concrete.

"You're pretty good from what I caught before I stepped in."

Aizawa turned to face the voice, gazing upon the villain, Captain Boomerang.

"Don't bother trying to erase what doesn't exist, mate, you'd have better luck making conversation with a rat," said Harkness.

"Heh, I do that on a daily basis," said Aizawa.

Harkness delivers a swift kick to Aizawa's head, knocking him to the ground.

"Smartass, aren't you," said Harkness.

Harkness glances back at the villain with many hands, and back to Aizawa.

"Let me give you a piece of advice, I have a lot riding on this job," said Aizawa.

"What, you run out of money?" asked Aizawa.

"It isn't always about money. Now, if you agree to play dead, I'll cover for you and say your dead. You might last until medical help arrives." said Harkness

Aizawa lifts his head and looks Harkness in the eyes.

"How about you play dead instead," said Aizawa.

Harkness rolls his eyes and walks over to his fellow villain.

"Set the lab rat on him, I wanna see how he works," said Harkness.

"Your choice Aussie." said the villain.

A large dark nightmarish beast steps over to the wounded Aizawa, who is attempting to regain his footing. His struggles are interrupted by a massive fist crashing down on his back, making a crater and digging the blades in his body deeper. As the pummeling continues, Barry and his friend watch on in horror.

"Oh god, he's unbeatable," said Mineta.

"Who? The boomerang guy or that monster?" asked Asui.

Barry looked on in silence.

_We need a plan, fast._

Barry looked inside himself and began to think. As he began to concentrate, images began appearing in his mind, flashes of different scenes in the dome.

_What the._

The flashes continued to permeate Barry's mind, he saw friends die, Friends triumphant, and he saw himself.

_Are these, outcomes. Is my brain calculating every outcome at super speed?_

"Barry, are you ok?" asked Midoriya.

"Wha-" yelped Barry, dragged out of his thoughts.

"We need to do something, but I don't know what," said Midoriya.

Barry remembered the flashes, a few in particular, and smiles.

"Don't worry, I've got a plan," said Barry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if the writing isn't up to snuff. I may rewrite these first ten chapters at some point in the future. I promise the season 2 stuff is better.


	9. All Plans Go Awry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> USJ Finale! Barry must come up with a way to help save his friends from the jaws of death!

The abomination battered Aizawa, refusing to relent. The act elicited a variety of terrifying yelps from the students.

"M-M-Midoriya, I can't take it anymore, I'm sure you must be having second thoughts, right?" whimpered Mineta.

"Ribbit…" whimpered Asui.

"Things are looking dire; we might have to extend the time and fight these guys." Barry realized.

"DID YOU NOT HEAR WHAT I JUST SAID, WE CAN'T FIGHT THESE GUYS WE WOULDN'T LAST FIVE SECONDS." exclaimed Mineta.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," said Barry.

"What kind of plan?" Inquired Midoriya.

The group was interrupted by the entrance of the portal villain.

"Tomura Shigaraki." said the portal villain.

"Kurogiri, did you kill Thirteen?" said the villain.

"I put Thirteen out of action, but there were students that I was unable to disperse, and one of them escaped," said Kurogiri.

The villain that was now identified as Shigaraki began aggressively scratching his neck, Barry chalked it up to a tick. He was scratching so hard that rashes were forming.

"Kurogiri, if you weren't a warp gate, **I would crush you to pieces right now** ," said Shigaraki.

He suddenly stopped his scratching and seemed to experience a moment of clarity.

"We can't win against dozens of pros, it's game over. Let's go home," said Shigaraki.

The group contemplated the words they were hearing.

"They're going home? Did he say they're going home?" asked Mineta.

"That's what I heard." Replied Asui.

Mineta began to cry hysterically, quickly latching onto Asui, "All right we're saved!"

"I wouldn't be so sure." Stated Barry.

"Eh, Why not?" questioned Mineta before being shoved underwater by Asui.

"They're villains, they're gonna want something from this attack, some result that lands in their favor," said Barry.

"I agree, for them to just retreat after putting in all this effort, it doesn't make sense," said Asui.

Barry went back to his thoughts, remembering the potential outcomes. He had narrowed down a few paths to victory, but it all hinged on the villain's decisions. His mind flashed to some of the darker paths.

_No matter what happens, I can't let anyone die. I may not have known these people for too long, but I won't let any of them get hurt._

His thoughts were interrupted by Shigaraki, "Before we go, smash up some of his pride!"

Barry remembered a particular flash, one where just the touch of the villain completely obliterated Asui.

_Not. Gonna. HAPPEN._

Barry grabs the boomerang that was formerly lodged in his leg and screamed out of the water at top speed. Option one was to just deck the villain and take out the Nomu, but that would leave his friends vulnerable. Option 2 was to tackle the villain, making sure that he wouldn't get near his friends, but that would leave Barry at risk to the villain's quirk.

_If I'm quick, I won't get hurt._

Flying towards Shigaraki faster than the eye could track, Barry slammed his body into the villain, wrapping his arms around his enemy's body. Continuing on, Barry felt hands gripping at his thighs, but there was no pain.

_How am I not losing my legs?_

Barry looked ahead at the center of the dome, noticing everything in slow motion, the fountain water slowly hazing out of the spout, Captain Boomerang readying another deadly sharp object, and the Nomu with Aizawa still firmly in his grips.

_Wait, Aizawa is looking straight at me! He's canceling this guy's quirk._

The Nomu promptly slams Aizawa's head into the ground, breaking eye contact.

_Guess that's my cue!_

Arching his back forward, Barry slams Shigaraki into the ground, before unwrapping himself from the villain and placing his palms on the ground. His legs now leaving the ground due to forward momentum, Barry launched forward ahead of Shigaraki in a front flip, sailing over a spinning boomerang, and landing feet first on top of the Nomu. The Nomu screeches and attempts to grab Barry, unhanding Aizawa, but Barry leans out of reach of the arms. Pulling the Boomerang out of his pocket, Barry lets out a scream before burying the boomerang into the Nomu's exposed Brain. The Nomu falls face-first to the ground, eliciting wide-eyed responses from those around him.

"Huh, the boy's got more in him than I thought." Admitted Harkness while catching his thrown boomerang.

"WOAH, Barry's got moves." Exclaimed Mineta.

"Ribbit." Gasped Asui in Surprise.

"He's fighting on another level!" Said Midoriya, with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

Barry leaped off of the Nomu and faced Shigaraki, who was scrambling to his feet.

_And now All-Might should arrive, right on time._

The entrance to the U.S.J, explodes open, revealing the muscular figure of All-Might, clad in yellow dress pants and shoes, as well as a white undershirt and tie, "It's all right, I AM HERE."

_Perfect now all I have to do is get Aizawa and-_

A large black hand wrapped its fingers around Barry's legs, crushing his shins together.

"AAARGH" Barry screamed at the Nomu rose from its temporary demise and Promptly slammed Barry's body against the pavement, making a crater. The impact knocks the wind out of Barry's lungs, before he can recover, the Nomu Flings Barry's body into the fountain, the force of which completely shatters the object, Barry flops on the ground for a few extra feet, doused in water and surrounded by Debris.

"I-I don't understand, how did the Nomu get up?" exclaimed Barry.

Barry thought back to his visions. He remembered a vision of him stabbing the Nomu's brain, why didn't it work?

_Damn, I must not have hit the right spot._

He suddenly hands on his body again, but these hands were soft and gentle, scooping him up like a baby. Next thing he knew, he was being set down next to his friends, who had moved from the lake to the stairs leading to the entrance. Looking towards his savior, he realized he was carried by All-Might himself, who now held the battered and unconscious body of Aizawa.

"Take Aizawa to the entrance! Leave the villains to me!" said All-Might.

Barry thought for a moment before realizing something, "Wait!"

All-Might turned to address Barry.

"I don't know for sure, but I think that Monster was built to fight YOU. I may have hobbled it by putting the blade in its brain, but it isn't stopping yet. I don't know if it's a good idea for you to go against it." said Barry.

"HA, No worries. I've got this," exclaimed All-Might.

"Wait!" Erupted Midoriya in a sudden outburst, "If what Barry says is true, you could be in serious danger, I don't think you should-"

"Young Midoriya, It's Fine!" said All-Might.

Barry was surprised by the tone of the words, both Midoriya and All-Might seem to share an oddly close bond.

"Let's go Guy's" cried Mineta, who seemed a little panicked after the whole situation.

The group began making their way up the steps.

"Do you think he might need some help?" questioned Barry.

"All-Might is the greatest, He'll be ok." Was Midoriya's response.

Barry thought to himself for a moment, then realized all he had to do was check. Retreating into himself, Barry began to explore the different branching paths. The more he looked, the safer he felt, he was about to stop when he experienced a path, he wishes he never saw. The blood, the anger, the sadness, the suffering.

It was then that an explosion of force rocked the dome.

"Woah, what was that." Said Barry.

"All-Might just suplexed that monster into next week." Yapped Mineta, who had gotten over the situation all too quickly.

_Suplex? Wait!_

The dust clears, revealing All-Mights failed Suplex. The portal villain had used his quirk to position the Nomu underneath All-Might, and his fingers were dug deep into his sides.

Suddenly Barry realized that Midoriya was not with the group. Looking towards the fighting, he saw Midoriya racing towards All-Might.

_NO, He's gonna get himself killed!_

Barry raced after Midoriya, hoping to catch up in time.

_I saw what happened, I can't let it come to pass._

Barry saw the glint of the boomerang in the corner of his eye and he knew that if he was a second late, all would be lost. Screaming ahead, Barry latches onto Midoriya from behind and torques his body, twisting him and Midoriya out of the path of the Boomerang. Unfortunately, this puts them right in the path of the portal villain.

_It's over._

But fate thought otherwise.

An explosion rocks Barry's ears as Bakugo of all people explodes onto the scene, pinning the portal villain to the ground, "Move, You're in the way extras!"

Ice forms around the Nomu, loosening his grip on All-Might and allowing him to escape the deadlock. Barry turns to see that the ice came from Todoroki. Kirishima attempts to deck Shigaraki, but he jumps out of reach.

"Damn it, I didn't get to show off!"

"It's not about showing off Kirishima, don't worry about it."

Suddenly, the Nomu pulls itself out of the portal before breaking off it's frozen limbs and regenerating them.

"He has regeneration in addition to being strong!"

Barry looked back to see that Captain Boomerang was also up and ready to fight.

"OI BIG BLUE, I GOT A FEW TRICKS FOR YOU" shouted Harkness.

"YOU, Your Vile Villainy is at an end, Boomerang," replied All-Might.

"Aw, don't forget the CAPTAIN." shouted Harkness.

Barry looked on, tense with fear.

_Harkness is too much for All-Might, I need to take him off the board, but how?_

Barry thought back to different idea's he had for super-moves his powers could help him accomplish. His mind homes in on a specific move.

_It's crazy, but it just might work._

"Kirishima, I need your help!" said Barry.

"For What?" asked Kirishima.

"A plan, I think we can take out Captain Kangaroo here, just follow my lead," said Barry.

* * *

"Damn kids, Nastier than I expected." Harkness tossed his boomerang up into the air before catching it on the way down, then pauses for a moment to contemplate his situation.

"Don't worry Owen, I won't let you down," said Harkness.

"Hey, Skippy!"

Harkness turns to find the owner of the voice and stares down Kirishima.

"Welp, Looks like another one's up on the chopping block," said Harkness.

"I wouldn't be so sure," said Kirishima.

Harkness Tosses his boomerang, sending it straight towards Kirishima. Confident, Kirishima extends his hand and hardens his skin before effortlessly catching the boomerang, "Ha, try and put that on the chopping block!"

"Your comeback game needs work kid," said Harkness.

Harkness smiles and pulls out a larger boomerang. Unlike his sharpened normal boomerangs, this large boomerang was not a polished silver but a sleek black. The inside of the curve was also jutted by spikes.

"Jeez, what kind of Boomerang is that," exclaimed Kirishima.

"I like to call it the god killer," said Harkness.

"That name's gonna fall flat isn't it," said Kirishima.

Harkness flings the boomerang at Kirishima, who readies himself to catch the object. However, The object instead circles Kirishima, ejecting the spikes which pepper the floor.

"Uh, am I supposed to be intimidated?" asked Kirishima.

"No, just dead," said Harkness, smiling.

The spikes light up, giving off a strange whirring noise before exploding. Kirishima Hardens for the impact but the force of the blasts sends him flying.

"You like it? This was designed specifically for All-Might, The spikes are specifically designed to his DNA, it might not have the same effect on you as it would him, but it should hurt," said Harkness.

Kirishima, though shell-shocked, gets back up on his feet.

"Not enough? Guess you need a second helping!" said Harkness.

Loading the boomerang with more spikes, Harkness sends it Kirishima's way once more.

"Uh, Barry?" said Kirishima.

The Boomerang flies closer.

"Barry?" said Kirishima, more nervous.

The Boomerang begins ejecting the spikes.

"BARRY!" shouted Kirishima.

Barry zooms in front of Kirishima, placing himself between his friend and the explosive spikes. He takes a deep breath and holds his fists out in front of him, "HEY DIGGER, DO YOU HAVE TORNADO'S IN AUSTRALIA!"

"WHAT?!" shouted Harkness.

"NO, WELL HERE'S YOUR FIRST!" Shouted Barry.

Spinning his fists in a circular manner, Barry begins to pick up wind, the wind becomes more and more intense and before you know it, Small Tornado's have formed around Barry's arms. The lift of the tornadoes picks up the spikes as they begin to light up. Barry directs the Spikes straight at Harkness, "WHA-"

Explosions rock Harkness as he is blown back, his coat becoming unfurled and his neatly packed boomerangs flying everywhere.

_I gotta finish him quickly, while he's Dazed!_

Barry charges forward towards Harkness. As Harkness gets up, Barry leaps into the air and readies a punch. Barry feels the electricity, the energy building into his fist. He let's gravity do the rest.

Barry delivers a superpowered right hook directly onto Harkness's jaw, the force of which causes a shockwave and knocks Harkness's head sideways. Harkness flops back onto the ground, unconscious.

Barry puts his hands on his knee's and breathes heavily.

_I won! I did it!_

"WHOO HOO, I DID IT KIRISHIMA." Shouted Barry.

"AH YEAH MAN, WE'RE ON TOP OF THE WORLD." shouted Kirishima

"YEAH, WE ARE." shouted Barry.

Barry turns to give Kirishima a high five, But Kirishima stops dead in his tracks, a look of pure horror on his face.

"Hey man, what gives, no high five," said Barry.

"Barry, your chest," said Kirishima.

"What's wrong with my chest?" asked Barry.

Barry looked down and realized what was wrong. There was a boomerang stuck straight in the middle of his chest.

"Oh," said Barry.

Barry suddenly fell backward, his vision blacking out. The only sounds he could hear were Kirishima's screams, But his thoughts were elsewhere.

_I miss you mom, I can't wait to see you again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, one more chapter ported before the content covering season 1 is complete!


	10. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ordeal is over! As he recovers, Barry dreams of simpler, better times. The ordeal also affects the villain Captain Boomerang as he is dealt crushing repercussions for his actions.

A small boy, no older than 7, raced down a dusty highway as fast as his little legs could carry him. The road stretched miles upon miles in either direction, but it seemed like forever to the little boy. Kicking up dust, the boy continued running alongside the road, his heart was beating fast, and a smile was on his face.

*huff huff huff*

The boy could feel the presence chasing behind him, but he felt no fear, only exhilaration. The presence lessened the distance between them, getting closer and closer and closer before finally reaching a hand out and grabbing the boy by the shoulder.

"Not so fast Barry Allen, Unless you want to run a marathon all the way back to Vegas, go ahead." Said the woman.

"I could totally do it, mom, just let me go and do it!" Barry said with excitement.

"I don't think your old enough for a marathon just yet, but maybe your dad will take you when you're older." replied the woman.

"WE CAN DO A 10K, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT." Replied an exhausted male voice behind a broken-down truck.

"Sorry Barry, your dad's getting to old I guess." Said Barry's mother.

"I HEARD THAT!" Shouted Barry's father.

Both Barry and his mother erupted into laughter, the family had broken down on the side of the road and were currently attempting to reach a mechanic.

"How long before we can go again mom?" said Barry.

"I don't know Barry, were right in the middle of Death Valley. There's not much out here."

Sweat practically rained off of Barry's body, his breathing became heavy, and he began to pant.

"It's soooo hot." stated Barry.

"I know sweetie, I know, we just gotta wait until your father can get ahold of someone." replied Barry's mother.

"Bad News guys." stated Barry's father who trudged toward the rest of the family with a frustrated look on his face, "There's no cell coverage out here, we might be stuck out here for a while."

A frown appeared on Barry's face.

"Are we gonna be stuck out here forever!" said Barry.

"No Barry, we'll be fine, we just need to find a service station or something." Stated His father.

"But without cell coverage how will we navigate to one?" Stated his mother.

The family seemed at a loss at what to do. As his parents discussed their options, Barry began to walk back to the truck when he noticed a shadow on the ground, a shadow that was growing in size. Barry began to panic.

_It's a vulture isn't it, it's here to eat me!_

Barry's imagination became less active however when the shadow began to form a strange shape, almost human. Barry gazed up into the sky and looked on in amazement as he laid eyes upon a flying man, the man wore a classic spandex superhero suit sporting yellow and dark blue colors. The suit reached up to the man's head where gaps were placed to allow civilians to see both his face and his flowing blonde hair. The man appeared to be carrying a trio of tank top wearing men, all tied up with a rope. The man floated down in front of Barry before dumping his prisoners on the ground.

"oof" "ow" "Asshole, we have rights." were the collection of phrases coming from the hooligans.

The costumed man frowned and addressed his prisoners.

"Hey, two things, Number one, Poachers get no sympathy from me, Number two, there's a child present." said the mysterious man.

Barry's expression turned from shock to excitement.

"WOW, ARE YOU A SUPERHERO!" shouted Barry.

The costumed man turned back towards Barry.

"Sure am kid, my name is Buddy Baker, but you can call me Animal-Man, Protector of all life, animal and human!" proclaimed Animal-Man.

Animal-Man struck an extremely silly pose, puffing his chest out with his fists on his hips.

"COOL, WHAT'S YOUR QUIRK." Emoted Barry.

"I can mimic the abilities and stats of any known animal like just now, I mimicked a bird to achieve flight." explained Animal-Man.

Barry became confused.

"Wait, how do you fly, do you sprout wings, if you want to breathe underwater do you form gills by mimicking a fish?" Questioned Barry.

"No no no, I just gain the ability. I can just mimic a bird and fly or mimic a fish and breathe underwater." explained Animal-Man.

"Oh."

Barry sounded disappointed; it wasn't a terribly flashy quirk. Animal-Man didn't seem bothered by Barry's lack of attention, however.

"Actually, I noticed that you were stuck while flying some poachers back to the county jail, is your vehicle out of gas?" said Animal-Man.

"Oh yeah, it totally is!" answered Barry.

"Great, go tell your parents to get in the truck, I'll take care of the rest!" proclaimed Animal-Man.

Barry ran back to his parents.

"Mom, Dad, a superhero is here to save us!" said Barry.

"Woah sport, slow down, are you sure he's a superhero?" said Barry's father.

Animal-Man approaches the truck with his prisoners in tow.

"Don't worry sir, I can show you my license once I get us to the gas station 8 miles down the road, just hop in!" Proclaimed Animal-Man

The family piles into the front of the truck while Animal-Man dumps the tied-up criminals in the bed of the truck.

"All right, here we go!" Shouted Animal-Man with excitement.

Animal-Man puts his hands on the back of the truck and begins to push it back onto the road, the truck begins to go faster and faster before Animal-Man is sprinting while pushing the truck along.

"STRENGTH OF A TYRANNOSAURUS REX AND SPEED OF A CHEETAH." Screamed Animal-Man

* * *

The Truck finally coasted to a stop in front of the gas station. It was a rusted old place, but it still had working faculties. As the family piled out, Animal-Man approached Barry's father.

"Verified license, as you requested!" he beamed.

Barry's father took the card and inspected it, before returning it to its owner.

"I didn't expect any crime out in Death Valley, what kind of stuff do people do out here." asked Barry's dad.

"Poaching, these men wanted the venom of a rare rattlesnake, it sells for quite a lot." Said Animal-Man.

"Ah, I see, how long have you been a hero." said Barry's dad.

"First year, sir!" Said Animal-Man.

"Well, I think you'll turn out to be a great one." said Barry's dad.

Animal-Man blushed and continued conversing with Barry's father. Meanwhile, Barry's mother has spotted something that would really make Barry's day.

"Hey Barry, see who it is!" Said Barry's Mother.

Barry turned to see where his mother was pointing, and practically jumped with joy when he saw the All-Might cutout.

"Oh my god!" Said Barry.

Barry flew forward and eagerly inspected the cutout, soaking in as many details as he could.

"I wanna remember this forever!"Said Barry.

"Well, why not get a picture!"Said Barry's Mother.

Barry's mother gestured his father over to the cutout, and they all posed in front of it. Animal-Man agreed to take the photo.

"Okay everyone, say "Cheese"!" Said Animal-Man.

"Cheese!" Said the Family.

*FLASH*

* * *

Barry's eyes slowly slid open as began to absorb his surroundings. He was in a hospital bed, in an extremely sterile hospital room. He was wrapped in bandages that enveloped his torso and legs, as well as his hands.

"Where am I?" Said Barry.

"You're in the hospital Barry, I thought you were smart."

Barry turned to find his guardian, Forrest, was sitting beside him.

"Forrest!?" Said Barry.

"Yeah, yeah, this old man had to get his fat ass out of the office to see you." Said Forrest.

Barry tried to laugh, but it hurt too much.

"Hey, don't kill yourself now, you got so far!" Said Forrest.

"No, no, I got it." Said Barry.

Forrest smiled at Barry; he was happy to see the boy was safe. However, that smile slowly morphed into a scowl.

"Barry, I gotta ask, what the HELL were you thinking." Said Forrest.

Barry looked confused.

"I was helping my classmates, my friends. I was saving them." Said Barry.

"They didn't expect you to take on the biggest guys Barry, Jeez. I thought you had some sense in that brain of yours. You know they wanted to put you in the nurse's office but having a large sharp metal object inches from your heart is the kind thing that gets you sent to the emergency room." Said Forrest.

Forrest sounded disappointed.

"I'm sorry." Said Barry.

"Ah, don't worry about it, all's well that ends well. But don't do that stuff AGAIN." Said Forrest.

"I… ok." Said Barry.

"Jeez, always taking the big hits for others, that's the Barry I know." Said Forrest.

Barry smiled before realizing something.

"Wait, my friends, are they OK?" Said Barry.

"Yeah, they're fine, the green-haired kid had some broken legs, but he's in the nurse office back on school grounds." Said Forrest.

"And the teachers?" Said Barry.

"All-Might is fine, though in the nurse's office. Thirteen and Aizawa are both here in the hospital, but they're both recovering. Some of your friends also stopped by, but the staff turned them away, only family or guardians are allowed." Said Forrest.

Barry sighed in relief.

"No one got hurt." Said Barry.

"Yeah, I just wish it turned out this way all the time." Said Forrest.

Barry didn't know why, but those words made him sad.

"Barry? Are you OK." Said Forrest.

"Yeah, I just had a dream." Said Barry.

"A nightmare?" Said Forrest.

"No, I dreamed about a road trip I had with mom and dad, it a good memory." Said Barry.

Forrest looked confused.

"If it was a good memory, why do you look so down?" Said Forrest.

Barry began to tear up.

"I… I wish that dream went on forever." Said Barry.

Barry began to choke on his words as tears rolled down his eyes. Forrest quickly pulls him into a hug.

"Hey hey hey, don't be sad kid, I'm here for you, I'm here." Said Forrest.

Barry returned the hug, crying into Forrest's shoulder. After a few minutes, Barry pulled away, no longer tearing up.

"Are you OK Barry?" Said Forrest.

"Yeah, I will be, I just miss her a lot." Said Barry.

"We all do Barry, we all do." Said Forrest.

* * *

"I may be an assassin for hire, but I have a confidentiality agreement with my clients, so I won't be spilling shit." Said an Australian voice.

"If you don't spill something, you WILL be facing a life sentence minimum, death sentence maximum!" Said a Japanese Voice

"Ah, but that's for the Australian government to decide now isn't it." Said the Australian voice.

Digger Harkness sat in an interrogation room, cuffed to the table, and a smile was on his face. Sitting opposite to him was detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, clad in a trench coat.

"I'd wipe that smile off your face, we have more than enough evidence to take you down." Said Tsukauchi.

"Oh, I have my ways, something tells me I'll be out in about a week." Said Harkness.

"Hmrf, don't be so sure." Said Tsukauchi.

Tsukauchi displayed a look of frustration before standing up and pushing his seat in.

"I'm going to take a break, sit tight." Said Tsukauchi.

"Sounds good, Mate." Said Harkness.

Harkness remained smug as Tsukauchi closed the door to the interrogation room. Harkness observed his surroundings before noticing a purple portal forming.

"Well look at that, They're early." Said Harkness.

The portal reforms into the villain Kurogiri, well dressed and expressionless.

"Good evening Harkness." said Kurogiri.

"Good evening Kurogiri, you're earlier than I expected." Said Harkness.

"Circumstances have changed, I needed to reach you earlier." said Kurogiri.

"Oh, you need me again?" Said Harkness.

"Not exactly." said Kurogiri.

Harkness's smug expression faded.

"What do you mean." Said Harkness.

"Shigaraki was unimpressed with your performance, he didn't deem you a worthy enough tool to retrieve." said Kurogiri.

"What? WHAT! What the HELL do you mean by THAT?" Said Harkness.

"You failed to assist in All-Might's assassination, and you were dismantled by a child." said Kurogiri.

Harkness was fuming.

"This wasn't the deal!" Said Harkness.

"No, it wasn't." said Kurogiri.

Harkness's anger soon faded to apathy.

"So what are you here for, if not to get me out." Said Harkness.

"I want to let you know that your past services are remembered, we will ensure that you won't get the death sentence." said Kurogiri.

All Harkness could manage was a simple "Thanks".

"In addition, it has come to light as to why you took our job." said Kurogiri.

Harkness perked his head up.

"You have a boy, roughly 17, Owen Mercer is his name, Correct?" said Kurogiri.

"Yes, he has terminal leukemia, the money was for treatments." Said Harkness.

"You must have known that we didn't have that exorbitant amount?" said Kurogiri.

Harkness let out a defeated "Yes."

"Then I assume you took the job out of desperation." said Kurogiri.

Another defeated "Yes" left Harkness's mouth.

"Have no fear, All-For-One will treat him." said Kurogiri.

Harkness stared Kurogiri in his yellow eyes.

"He has the tools?" Said Harkness.

"He has the quirk." said Kurogiri.

"Than-Thank you." Said Harkness.

"Don't thank me yet." said Kurogiri.

Harkness didn't break eye contact.

"And why shouldn't I?" Said Harkness.

"Because after treatment, Mr. Mercer shall be joining our ranks." said Kurogiri.

"NO, you can't do this!" Said Harkness.

"Yes, we can." said Kurogiri.

It was then that Kurogiri let out the true nature as to his visit.

"He shall receive proper training, anyone with your genes is bound to have talent. In addition, if you so much as let out a peep about any league related information, including this conversation, then his training will be cut short along with his life." said Kurogiri.

Harkness could only sit in silence as he contemplated Kurogiri's words.

"I have delivered the message; you won't hear from us again."

"You bastard, THIS ISN'T OVER!" Said Harkness.

"I believe it is." said Kurogiri.

Kurogiri portals out of the room, leaving a screaming Harkness to contend with police bursting into the room to restrain him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 1 is over! I'm still porting 17 more chapters over, but they should come faster. I have to thank those who've already given me kudos as well! I promise season 2 will be even better!


	11. Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sports Festival Approaches! Barry must prepare for his next trial. His fellow students!

"HEY MAN, you had me really worried." Said Kirishima.

"Geez Kirishima, I'm fine." Said Barry.

Classes have finally returned, and Barry was ready for action, but his friends didn't think so.

"Are you sure Barry? You didn't look too good when we last saw you!" piped Midoriya.

"C'mon guys, really, I'm fine!"

"YOU CALL A BOOMERANG TO THE CHEST FINE!" screamed Kirishima.

"I have regeneration as part of my quirk, I mean it still hurt a lot, but I'm fine." Replied Barry.

"Socialize later class!" said a heavily bandaged Aizawa, whose voice instantly silenced any conversation.

Nevertheless, Barry leaned towards Mina.

"Should he even be standing here in class?" said Barry

"Heck no, but that's Aizawa-Sensei for you!" Said Mina.

"I said no SOCIALIZING." Said Aizawa.

Barry's mind retreated into his own thoughts, the School Sports Festival was upon them, and Barry knew he had to make a good impression.

_I need to keep improving my control at faster speeds, I need more maneuverability in general._

The bell rung, and yet when the class attempted to leave, they found their path blocked by a large group of students outside the classroom.

_Why are there so many people outside the door?_

"Wha-what's going on!" said Uraraka.

"What business do you have with Class A?" questioned Iida.

"We can't get out!" Complained Mineta, "What'd you come here for anyway?"

"Scouting out the enemy, small fry." Deadpanned Bakugo.

_Wait, so that means that these people must know we were the class attacked by villains, they want to see what we're made of._

"There's no point in doing stuff like that, out of my way extras!"

_He doesn't have to be such a massive dick._

Barry wasn't the most confrontational person, but on the short list of things he hated, bullying was on it.

"I came to see what the famous Class A was like, but you seem pretty arrogant." Stated a new voice.

A boy with frazzled purple hair emerges from the crowd.

"Are all students in the hero course like this?"

"Woah, hey now, I think Bakugo speaks for himself." Interjects Barry.

"Shut up Blondie." Replied Bakugo.

"How is that insulting?" said Barry.

"Get out of my face, extra." Replied Bakugo.

"There are quite a few people who enrolled in general studies or other courses because they didn't make it into the hero course, did you know that?" The purple-haired boy continued, "the school has left those of us a chance. Depending on the results of the sports festival, they'll consider our transfer into the hero course, and it seems like they may transfer people out."

_Replace? Would the faculty really kick someone out of the course if their performance isn't sufficient?_

"Scouting out the enemy?" the purple-haired boy said, "I, at least, came to say that even if you're in the hero course, if you get too carried away, I'll sweep your feet out from under you. I came with a declaration of war."

_That's a little dramatic, though, considering the importance of the festival, I can see why he would be eager to put us on edge._

The Purple-haired boy and Bakugo stared each other down, the silence was deafening.

_I better get out of here before they make a scene._

Barry quickly brushed past Bakugo and began pushing through the crowd, only to be knocked over by a metallic boy.

"Hey, hey!"

The metallic boy appeared to be trying to get Bakugo's attention. As the boy continued to rant at Bakugo, a hand reached down towards Barry.

"Need help?"

Barry looked up to see a Latino boy with long wavy brown hair.

"Yeah, thanks." Said Barry as he took the boys hand.

"What's your name?" inquired the Latino boy.

"Barry Allen, you?" asked Barry.

"Derek James." Said the boy.

"Huh, that doesn't sound like a Spanish or Japanese name?" said Barry.

"I was adopted in America actually, my parents moved to japan after my mother found work here." Answered Derek.

"Oh, I hope I wasn't being too intrusive?" worried Barry.

"Oh no, not at all, the rest of my class knows this stuff already." Said Derek.

"Wait, are you in class B?"

"Yeah, I came along to make sure Tetsutetsu here doesn't pop a blood vessel while trying to make his declaration."

"Heh, good luck with that, I gotta go but it was nice meeting you."

Barry began to make his way towards the training areas to sharpen his skills when Derek called out to him.

"Hey Barry!" said Derek.

"Yeah?" said Barry.

"Just wanna let you know that you and your classmates are the ones to beat, so prepare to get your asses kicked." Proclaimed Derek.

Barry smiled.

"Ha, we'll see!" replied Barry.

* * *

"Hey Barry, how's the new treadmill?"

"It's good, I think."

The sports festival had gotten Barry pumped up, to the point where he had asked Forrest to buy a specialized treadmill for speed quirks in order to train at home.

_C'mon, I gotta challenge this hardware. I gotta challenge myself._

Barry's legs moved faster and faster, the treadmill adapted to his speed. It was a treadmill designed specifically for speed-based quirks, to keep up his abilities. At the moment, the treadmill was pushing itself to the limit to keep up with Barry.

_C'mon, set a new record, just a little faster!_

The treadmill began to smoke, with the treads underneath Barry's feet beginning to heat up.

_Uh, maybe I'm going too fast?_

"WARNING, TREADS OVERHEATING, EMERGENCY FAILSAFE ACTIVATED."

The automated response was followed by the treadmills abrupt stop, causing Barry to go flying, luckily the treadmill is also built with a softening gel that lessens impact damage, unfortunately, it also shoots it everywhere.

"Barry?" shouted a concerned Forrest.

"UM, I'm fine Forrest!" shouted back Barry, who was currently immobilized in a room filled with gel.

"Are you sure, I hope you didn't make a mess!" said Forrest, making his way towards Barry's room.

"Um, I plead the 5th!" replied Barry.

"Barry? I'm coming in," said Forrest.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT, DON'T-" Barry said before sliding out the door in a puddle of gel.

"What in god's name-WOAH," Forrest stated before slipping in the gel.

Both Barry and Forrest lay in the gel in silence for a few moments before Barry broke it.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No" replied Forrest, "But we both need a shower."

"Yup." Agreed Barry.

"But clean your room first." Added Forrest.

"UUUUUUUGGGGHHHHH." Said Barry.

* * *

The day was here, the skies were blue, the arena was crowded, and fireworks rocketed into the sky. The U.A. sports festival was here.

"One order of Takoyaki please!"

"Oh, Mt Lady!"

Mt Lady, a hero on security, was ordering takoyaki from a vendor. She was accompanied by heroes Death Arms and Kamui Woods.

"No green seaweed." Said, Mt Lady.

"One right? That'll be 500 yen." Replied the vendor.

"Huh?" Mt. Lady strikes a seductive pose. "Um….I don't have that much on me right now…"

"THAT'S HOT, IT'S FREE." Shouted the vendor.

"THANKS." Replied Mt Lady.

"Have you no pride?" questioned Kamui.

"No, I don't think she does." Said a new voice.

The group turned to find a fellow hero, in his 30's, wearing a blue denim jacket over yellow and blue tights.

"Animal-Man?" questioned death arms.

"Death Arms! It's been what, 5 years?" replied Animal-Man.

"Well yes but, you've changed your look." Said Death Arms.

"Yeah, the denim jacket and yellow shades catch you off guard?" Said Animal-Man.

"Yeah, the new look suits you." Said Death Arms.

"Thanks!" said Animal-Man.

Both Kamui and Mt Lady look on in confusion.

"Who is this, Death Arms?" questioned Kamui.

"He doesn't seem too famous, where did you two meet?" asked Mt Lady.

"Well, to answer your questions, this is Animal-Man, a hero I met during a tour in America. He's very talented." Explained Death Arms.

"Why haven't we heard of him though?" said Mt Lady.

"Well err…" stammered Death Arms.

"Don't worry, I'll explain." Said Animal Man. "I'm not too well known, I haven't even cracked top 50 heroes in America."

"He can also be a bit… let's say opinionated." Added Death Arms.

"I'm an animal rights activist." Clarified Animal-Man while eyeing Mt Lady's takoyaki accusingly.

"Eh, I don't need to take advice from a nobody." Stated Mt Lady.

"LISTEN HERE, LADY." Erupted Kamui Woods, surprising the whole group. "Animal-Man might not be very well known, but that doesn't make him any less of a hero than any of us. Unlike you, he has pride in his beliefs."

"W-What." Stammered a bewildered Mt Lady, who was not expecting the outburst.

"Hey calm down kid, nothing to get too worked up about." Stated Animal-Man.

"Sorry Sir!" said Kamui, who shot up to a salute.

"What's with all the formality?" asked Animal-Man.

"You were a big inspiration for me to become a hero, sir, you didn't let being obscure hold you down, you still did good work." Explained Kamui.

Animal-Man smiled, "That's…very nice to here, Thank you!"

"No, Thank you, sir." Replied Kamui.

"Enough with the endless ass-kissing." Deadpanned Mt Lady.

"I. Am. Not. Ass. Kissing." Replied Kamui.

As the two began to spar verbally, Death Arms approached Animal-Man.

"Hey, what are you here in Japan for anyway, if you don't mind me asking?" questioned Death Arms.

"I'm actually establishing a new agency here in Japan, the market is getting a little saturated in America." Replied Animal-Man.

"More saturated than usual?" joked Death Arms.

"Yeah, I was here not only to work security but to scout potential future sidekicks!" said Animal-Man.

"I see, want to share lunch and discuss these future sidekicks." Said Death Arms.

"Sure, but I'll just have a salad." Said Animal-Man.

* * *

"Man, I wish we could wear our costumes." Stated a disappointed Mina.

"Those are the rules, gotta keep it fair." Replied Barry. "I'm happy they let me keep my specialized boots, I don't think they want the arena to smell like burnt rubber."

"Ha, no way would they be interested in that." Joked Kirishima.

The class was getting dressed in the locker room for the Festival, and the room was exploding with voices.

"I wonder what the first round's going to be?" wondered Sato.

"No matter what comes, we have no choice but to deal with it." Stated Tokoyami.

The door swung open, revealing Iida "Everyone, are you ready? We will be entering soon!"

_OK, no pressure, you got this._

"Hey, Blondie." Spouted Bakugo.

"You're blonde too, Bakugo." Countered Barry.

"Shaddup and listen here, I'm gonna wipe the floor with you, you little miscreant." Threatened Bakugo.

"Miscreant? Did you by any chance learn a new word Bakugo?" joked Barry.

"Just stay outta my way extra!" spouted a fuming Bakugo before he stormed off to the door.

"H-H-Hey Barry, you shouldn't goad Bakugo like that." Stammered Midoriya.

"I'm not trying to be mean, but your friend has an ego the size of the Atlantic, and I think he needs to be knocked down a peg!" proclaimed Barry.

Midoriya fidgeted nervously.

"W-Watch out for Todoroki too, he's on a warpath." Said Midoriya.

"Huh, Thanks for the heads up, Thanks Midoriya." Said Barry.

"You're welcome, Barry." Replied Midoriya before heading to the door, Barry attempts to follow him but feels a tug at his collar.

"Hey, Barry?"

Barry turned to find Mina holding his shirt.

"Hey Mina, what's up?" said Barry.

"Listen, I never really talked to you about what happened at the U.S.J." Said Mina

"Oh, that…." Said Barry, who began to feel nervous. "Listen, Mina, it wasn't that bad, just a little cut-"

"You call a blade in your chest a cut?" replied Mina incredulously.

"Yeah, I guess it was, considering my regeneration-" Said Barry.

"The doctors never told you this, but the blade was lodged next to your heart." Said Mina.

Barry was shocked, not realizing how close to death he was.

"Wha-" Barry stuttered before being interrupted.

"You almost died, and that would've really sucked ya know, so be careful next time bud." Said Mina while enthusiastically giving Barry a fist to the arm.

"Ow, that hurt." Complained Barry.

Mina smirked before getting very close to Barry, he could feel her breath on his neck. Mina then whispered in his ear "Better than being a pincushion." before fast-walking out the door to join the rest of the class. Barry's ears were practically shooting steam. Taking a second to compose himself, he noticed that he got a text from Forrest.

"I just wanted to let you know that I believe in you Barry, good luck at the Sports Festival and Happy Birthday!"

Barry froze, staring at the message with somber eyes.

"Happy Birthday."

_How could I forget, how could I?_

Today was Barry's birthday too, sweet 16, If only it wasn't also the day his mother died.

_I just wanna move on, but how can I?_

"Hey Barry, you coming?"

Barry glanced around to find that Kirishima was waving at him from the door.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Shouted Barry before putting his phone on the table. Barry's enthusiasm had all but vanished, being replaced by a feeling of sadness. As the class prepared for the walk into the arena, Barry tried to shake this feeling.

_C'mon, hype yourself up Barry, get pumped._

Barry managed to sum up energy, but that sadness still lingered in the background. As the walk started, he could feel it in the back of his mind, a constant distraction, one that he knew would sit with him the whole day. Barry hesitated and stopped at the exit into the Arena, lurking in the shadows, and stood on the side.

_Get it together Barry, you got this._

Barry took a deep breath and stepped into the daylight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 2 begins!


	12. The Race

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry's first challenge awaits! The fastest man alive has a race ahead of him, but even with his ludicrous speed, is the outcome really so clear cut?

"Hey, pay attention audience! Swarm, mass media! This year's high school rodeo of adolescence that you all love, the U.A. Sports Festival, is about to begin! Everybody, are you ready?!" Screamed Present Mic as he hyped the U.A. Stadium. "It's time for the students to enter the first-year stage!"

The cheering was deafening as Barry stepped out into the sunlight and into the arena, his ears assailed by fireworks, the aforementioned cheering, and Present Mic's commentary.

"The U.A. Sports Festival! The huge battle where fledgling heroes sharpen their swords once a year! Anyway, these are the guys right, the miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Hero course, Class 1-A, right?!" Shouted Present Mic.

_Holy cow, so many people! I think Mic is hyping us up a little too much!_

"They haven't been getting as much airtime, but this class is also full of talent! Hero course, class 1-B" proclaimed Present Mic.

Class 1-B soon made their walk into the arena, Barry spots Derek James among Class 1-B and makes eye contact. Derek smirks and winks at Barry.

_He's confident, isn't he?_

"Next up, general studies classes C, D, and E! Support course, Classes F, G, and H are here too! And business course, Classes I, J, and K! All of U.A.'s first years are here now!" Announced Present Mic.

The students all gather at the center of the Arena, where a certain hero stood atop a stage.

"Time for the player pledge!" proclaimed the R-Rated hero, Midnight.

"Huh, so that's why they call her R-rated," Barry stated while trying his best not to look at Midnight's skin-tight suit.

"Heh, see something you like Barry?" joked Mina.

"NO, and how does that suit not violate any laws, it's like there's nothing at all!" replied Barry.

"Heh, nothing at all huh." Said Mina, smirking.

_GAH, STUPID SEXY MIDNIGHT!_

"Quiet everyone!" shouted Midnight, "Representing the students is Katsuki Bakugo from Class 1-A"

_Oh, this is gonna go SUPER well!_

Bakugo makes his way onto the stage and in front of the microphone.

_Please, don't say something offensive or demeaning to the rest of us!_

"I pledge, that I'll be number one."

_GODDAMNIT BAKUGO!_

The screens at the highest sides of the stadium reveal the words "First Game".

"Now, let's get started right away!" proclaimed Midnight, "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier! Many years, many drink their tears here! Now, here is the first fateful game!"

The screens display a revolving sign, with different titles being shown.

"This year it's…..This!" announced Midnight.

The revolving sign stops of the phrase "Obstacle Race". As soon as Barry read the word "Race", he knew he had a leg up.

_The first game is a footrace! This is perfect!_

"All 11 classes will participate in this race. The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium, about four kilometers." Midnight explained, "Our school's selling point is freedom!" Midnight proclaimed while licking her lips, making Barry very nervous. "As long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do! Now, take your places, everyone!"

As the classes all lined up at the exit of the stadium, Barry thought over the rules.

_OK, so this is a no holds barred race. You can't take shortcuts, but as long as I stay on the course, I can speed through it! However, this might also mean that other students might use quirks, so I better be careful._

The lights above the entrance began to dim, signifying the start was getting close.

_C'mon, don't get nervous, don't get cold feet._

Another light dimmed, 2 seconds left.

_My feet are getting cold, am I getting nervous?_

1 second left.

_I don't understand why am I so still, it's just like….Mom._

"START!" Announced Midnight.

The students all began to pour out of the stadium, but Barry found that he couldn't move. He looked down at his own feet to find a surprise.

"What the hell!" said Barry.

His feet were encased in Ice, he couldn't even budge them.

_Todoroki, damn you, you knew how much of a threat I was in this battle, so you took a preemptive strike. Wait, is that cheating? I mean she said freedom was at the center of U.A.-_

"BARRY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, GOOOOOO."

Barry looked up into the stadium to see Forrest waving at him with both arms.

_GAAAH focus Barry, get out of this mess._

Barry vibrates his molecules, breaking the ice, before shooting off after the students, now starting from dead last. Luckily, he didn't have to go far.

The exit was too narrow for all the students pouring out, and buildups had occurred.

_Hmm, perfect._

Prepping himself, Barry gets into a sprinters position, he feels the speed, the energy building up inside him.

Then he lets it out.

Barry explodes forward at a blistering speed, and quickly leaps to the left wall of the narrow hallway, running along the wall over the heads of the many students. Barry was feeling confident until he felt the air get cold again.

_Not again Todoroki!_

Blazing forward, Barry leaps out of the hallway and into the open air as an explosion of ice completely coats the hallway, freezing most of the students. Barry spots Todoroki on his way down.

"You almost got me Todoroki, but I'm not out yet." Barry proclaimed.

"You're about to be." Deadpanned Todoroki.

"Huh?" said Barry before he looked at the ground and realized his mistake.

The ice hadn't just reached the hallway, it spread to the stadium path. Barry could only watch helplessly as he landed feet first on the ice, then slips and falls on his butt, back, then head. Barry's concussed form simply slid around on the ground face up.

"UUUGH." Grunted Barry.

"LATER BLONDIE!" screamed Bakugo as he rocketed past Barry. "I've got bigger fish to fry now!"

_I wish he would just stop talking._

Barry clumsily attempts to stand up only to keep slipping about, the rest of the students weren't doing much better.

"See ya Barry!" emoted Mina as she skated along using her quirk.

_How did she- never mind, I gotta figure something out here._

Barry thought to himself before coming up with a solution.

_Friction creates heat right, I just gotta move my feet fast enough to melt the ice with each step, but it won't be enough if Todoroki freezes me again!_

Just then, Barry noticed Mineta sailing through the air towards him.

"NOPE!" Barry screamed before dodging Mineta. "How did you-"

"Big. Robots." Mineta gasped.

_Welp, I don't know what I expected, but those count as obstacles don't they._

Barry soon saw a massive ice storm erupt further along the path, and noticed a massive frozen robot.

_The ice in the air, it'll be a perfect cover. Now's my chance._

Taking a deep breath, Barry once again placed himself into a sprinters position and feels the energy build up again.

_Ready, Set, G-_

"Take me with YOU!" screamed Mineta as he leapt on top of Barry's back, sticking his balls to Barry's body.

_NO TIME, JUST GO FOR IT._

Barry screamed forward again, causing ripples in the ice.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" screamed Mineta, who wasn't prepared for such speed.

As Barry ran forward, the frozen robot began to fall forward.

_Oh for the love of-_

Barry screamed forward regardless, tempting danger once more.

"AAAAAAAH, are you crazy?!" screamed Mineta.

"If you wanted a ride, YOU'RE GETTING A RIDE!" screamed Barry as he flew into the ice storm and directly under the falling robot. The robot crashes behind Barry, kicking a ton of dust into the air. The force of the impact combined with the wind resistance knocks Mineta off of Barry's back.

"AAAAAAAAH" Screamed Mineta.

"So long Mineta!" screamed Barry.

Surging forward Barry emerged from the dust, directly behind Todoroki, who readied another ice blast.

_Not this time._

Barry leaps, sailing over the ice attack and Todoroki's head, and races forward, outrunning the spreading ice.

"IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE HAS USURPED FIRST PLACE!" Announced Present Mic.

_It's just me and Todoroki for a while now, and not even he can keep up with me!_

Barry soon came across obstacle number 2. A massive pit with different platforms and ropes connecting them.

_Todoroki's gonna be here soon. I better do this quick._

Barry backed up, gets into a sprinter stance, and feel the energy buildup.

_You got this, all in one jump!_

Barry surged forward and leapt, sailing through the air.

_C'mon, c'mon, c'mon._

Barry felt his momentum lessen, and he began to plummet downward.

_Oh no._

Cracking his chin on the edge of one of the platforms, Barry plummets towards the pit before grabbing a crack in the foundation of another platform.

_Alright, now that I've saved myself, how do I get back up there._

"It's "THE FALL"!" Proclaimed Present Mic.

"When did they build this stage?" asked Uraraka.

"Where's Barry!" asked Mina, "I can see Todoroki making his way across, but I thought Barry was in first, and he's nowhere to be seen."

"Maybe he fell?" answered Uraraka.

"Heheheheheheh." Chuckled a particularly tech suited student, "Here it is! Here's my chance to show off! It's time for my support items to be in the limelight! Look, all you support companies across the country!"

The Student shoots a grapple from their hip and flies forward over the pit before swinging down and landing on the side of one of the platforms.

"What the?" said Mina.

_Hanging on isn't doing you any good Barry, Todoroki has probably passed you by now, and the others are catching up. Think, how do you get back up there._

Barry thought long and hard but couldn't find a solution.

_Damnit, without enough momentum, I won't get back up there._

Then, as fate would have it a girl with a grapple swung by and landed on the side of the platform opposite Barry.

"Damn, the grapple is jammed, better fix my baby quick!" said the girl.

_Huh, Luck be my lady. Now I just need to hitch a ride, but if I torque my body too much. I won't make it across._

Barry thought about how to reach the girl, and seemed to run out of ideas, before suddenly remembering something.

_Mineta's Balls….Oh god, why did that have to be a collection of words?_

Tightening his form, Barry prepared to launch himself.

"All done, up we go!" the girl stated.

"NOT WITHOUT ME," Barry screamed.

"Wha-" the girl said before Barry launched his body across the gap, sticking his back to hers using Mineta's grapes. The grapple pulls both of them upward, and into the open air.

Mina was having a hard time mobbing across the tightropes and only managed to get half-way.

_Grr, this is taking forever. At least I beat Barry!_

Suddenly, Mina hears the collective screams of excitement and fear as the girl from before grappled upward into the sky again, but this time she wasn't alone.

"BARRY?!" screamed Mina.

There Barry was, stuck to the back of the girl like a backpack, just along for the ride.

"Creative little GREMLIN." Mina spouted.

"So, how's the show Animal-Man." Asked Death Arms.

"It's fine, I see a-lot of likely apprentices." Replied Animal-Man. The two were sitting outside looking at the tv screens.

"Good, good, anyone in particular?" asked Death Arms.

"That blonde kid, I get the feeling I've seen him before." Stated Animal-Man.

"AND HERE WE ARE!" shouted the girl.

Barry had stuck around long enough that he had reached the end of the pit, unfortunately, he was still attached to the girl.

"Alright, now let's get separated." Stated Barry.

"Huh, but I wanna study you. Your quirk seems interesting." Stated the girl.

"Sorry, maybe later," Barry stated before shifting the weight of the girl onto his back, essentially swapping places with the girl.

_WOAH, She's heavy, how does she lug that equipment around._

"OOH, this is like that old video game, BANJO-KAZOOIE. ONWARD NOBLE BEAR." Proclaimed the girl.

"THIS IS NOT BANJO-KAZOOIE!" screamed Barry.

"Then how are we gonna separate?" asked the girl.

Barry thought for a moment before realizing the solution.

_I hope I don't embarrass myself._

Barry squats and slips out of his shirt before running along.

"Hey, get back here!" shouted the girl.

_Alright, home stretch, just a little more and why are there so many bodies._

True enough, the unconscious bodies of many students lay upon the ground. Barry looked on to see various impact sites and shifted earth.

_Landmines! Friggin LANDMINES!_

Barry looked on in disbelief before noticing someone in the corner of his eye.

_Midoriya?_

True enough, Midoriya was currently digging up a landmine with what appeared to be a piece of metal from one of the previous robots.

_What is he doing?_

Midoriya positioned himself before using the landmine as a launchpad, sailing into the air.

He's crazier than I thought. And damn smart too.

Barry knew he didn't have time for creative solutions, Midoriya had surged ahead and he could see Todoroki and Bakugo fighting in the distance.

"Our 1st and 2nd are neck and neck people!" screamed Present Mic.

_Alright Barry, think of something simple, anything!_

It was then that Barry realized what he had to do.

_I remember something that mom said, "Sometimes, you can't work around your problems, you just gotta hit em head-on." I need to take her advice._

Barry got into his sprinter's stance and felt the energy build up again, but this time, he waited for the energy to build more and more until it was positively bursting out of his body.

_I got this!_

Electricity radiated from his body.

_This is for you Mom!_

Barry raced ahead and over the landmines, going so fast that the landmines exploded long after he stepped on them.

"HO HO HO, What's this, could we have a 3rd and 4th place neck and neck?" announced Present Mic.

Barry saw an explosion ahead and noticed Midoriya rocket ahead of both Todoroki and Bakugo, through the air.

_C'mon FASTER!_

Barry sped up, going even faster, practically blipping past Todoroki and Bakugo.

"Huh" "What," said both Todoroki and Bakugo.

Barry screamed ahead he could see the finish line, and he could see Midoriya landing.

_Almost there!_

Barry passed under Midoriya.

"AND THE WINNER IS-" Stated Present Mic.

"DEREK JAMES!" screamed a new voice.

Suddenly a yellow rift appeared in front of Barry, out of that rift slid Derek James, who took first place without effort.

_HUH?_

Barry was so awestruck that he didn't notice Midoriya crashing into him from behind, spilling over him and crossing the finish line first while pushing Barry face-first into the dirt.

"B-B-Barry, I'm so sorry!" stammered Midoriya, getting up from his tumble.

Barry lifted his face from the dirt, and spit some dust out of his mouth. "It's ok, nice job with second place."

"Wow, you ate my dust figuratively and literally." Gloated Derek.

"Yeah Yeah!" said a sullen Barry.

_I feel cheated, but that's because Derek was smart. I didn't know his quirk going in, and he waited until the very last moment to reveal his hand. He played it the smart way. DAMNIT, I failed you mom._

Barry grouped up with the rest of the students in front of the stage, waiting for Midnights announcement. During the wait he felt a poke to his back.

"Mina." questioned Barry.

"How'd you know it was me?" asked Mina.

"You seem like the type to poke." Answered Barry.

"Heh, yeah I guess so. By the way, why are you shirtless. Was the ride too wild?" teased Mina.

Barry's face grew red, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Sure you don't," answered Mina.

"UUM, THERE'S MIDNIGHT LET'S LISTEN TO HER." Stammered Barry.

True to Barry's words, Midnight had appeared on the stage.

"The top 42 race finishers will make it through to the next round. It's unfortunate, but don't worry if you didn't make it! We've prepared other chances for you to shine." Announced Midnight, "The real competition begins next! The press cavalry will be all over it! Give it your all!"

The revolving sign appeared again on the screens.

"Now then, here is the second game. I already know what it is, but what could it be? What could it be?" teased Midnight. "I just said it, and here it is-" the revolving sign lands on the words "Cavalry Battle."

_What's a cavalry battle?_

"Let me explain." Said Midnight, as if to answer Barry's inner question, "The participants can form teams of two to four people as they wish. It's basically the same as a regular cavalry battle, but the one thing that's different is that based on the results of the last game, each person has been assigned a point value."

"So, it's like the entrance exam?" wondered Barry aloud.

"I'm speaking right now!" stated Midnight. "Anyway, you're right, the points assigned go up by five starting from the bottom. So 42nd place gets 5 points, and 41st gets 10 points! And the point value assigned to first place is…..TEN MILLION!"

Barry processed that number for a moment before realizing how lucky he was to land third place. He glanced over towards Derek, who's confidence and bravado had all but evaporated, giving way to a pale face of horror. Derek had just gotten a target placed on his back, and now the entire body of students was gunning for him.

_This is about to get intense!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ports are getting faster now that I feel I have to edit less of the content. I hope you're having a great day!


	13. Put Your Heads Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Race has ended and the next trial begins! Barry must choose his partner smartly if he wishes to make it to the finals!

"Now then, I will explain the rules of the cavalry battle." Announced Midnight, "The time limit is 15 minutes. Each team is worth the total of its members' points, and the riders will wear a headband with that number on their foreheads. Teams will try to grab each other's headbands until time runs out and try to keep as many points as they can. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up. So, the more you steal, the harder it'll be to manage them! And the most important thing is that even if your headband gets stolen, or if your team falls, you're not out!"

_So, make it through 15 minutes with the most points, got it!_

"During the game, it'll be a cruel fight where you can use your quirks." Continued Midnight, "But it is still a cavalry battle. You'll get a red card for attacks that are trying to make people fall on purpose, you'll be removed immediately!"

_Hyper-aggression is out of the picture, you have to be careful._

A timer counting down from 15 minutes appeared on the screen.

"Now, you have 15 minutes to build your teams. Start!" exclaimed Midnight.

* * *

Meanwhile, at a lone lunch table sat Animal-Man, Death Arms, Mt Lady, and Kamui Woods.

"The U.A. sports festival is more about simulating the competition they'll face as heroes than seeing how prepared they are to be heroes." Stated Death Arms.

"Huh, what are you talking about?" asked Mt Lady.

"He means that the games are about simulating the war for popularity in this economy. The hero business is so saturated these days that generally speaking, you're going to have to outperform other heroes." Explained Animal-Man. "Look at the obstacle course, it was a race designed for the most capable to come out on top."

"Ah, so only the strongest get to the top, that sounds accurate." Replied Mt. Lady.

"I said capable, not strongest. Look at the Midoriya kid in second place for example, He didn't use his quirk at all, and yet he came in second place by being smart and adapting to each situation, he's capable with a capital C."

"I see, it's not all about quirks, but the brains behind them as well." Said Kamui Woods.

"Exactly!" praised Animal-Man, earning a blush from Kamui, "This cavalry battle is also in line with Death Arms mindset, only this game has a different lesson to teach. In the hero world, you can't do everything alone, you often have to team up with other heroes or agencies to improve your odds."

"Oh, so this cavalry battle is all about learning to synergize your quirks." Exclaimed Mt Lady.

"Well said, the students must be wise in their choice of teammates if they wish to succeed." Said Animal-Man.

* * *

Barry must've made quite the impression during the race, because the moment it was time to pick teams, he was mobbed by plenty of potential teammates.

"Hey Barry, if you stick with me, we'll blow right through anybody who gets in our way." Said Tetsutetsu.

"Kero, We could make a great team Barry, Maximum Mobility!" said Tsuyu.

"AAH, Please take me with you!" said Mineta.

"Guys, guys, guys, let me have room to think!" shouted Barry.

Barry moved away from the students to a more isolated section of the field and began to pick his teammates.

_Hmm, with Tetsutetsu, I might be hard to stop, but honestly, he would be a pain to carry._

Barry's shoulders shuddered at the thought.

_Tsuyu might be a good pick, she'd be able to take most people's headbands without much effort. Mineta…... yeah, no._

Barry was about to make up his mind when he saw someone else.

Derek James was sitting on the ground in the middle of the field, and students were avoiding him like the plague. It made sense; the best strategy was likely to take other's headbands in order to obtain the needed points near the end. Holding onto points for the entire duration of the battle would be difficult especially with a highly sought-after headband worth 10 million points.

_He's all alone, just like…._

Barry thought for a moment before making his decision.

* * *

"Hey, Derek!"

Derek James looked up to find Barry Allen reaching a hand out for him to take.

"Come to gloat?" snarked Derek.

"Actually, I came to ask if you wanted to join my team." Answered Barry.

"W-what?" Sputtered Derek.

"Really, I want to work with you!" said Barry.

Derek looked at Barry's hand for a moment before answering.

"Are you sure, they're all gonna be gunning for me, and by extension you. It's not a wise decision."

"I think there's a chance!" explained Barry, "Think about it, I'm probably the fastest person here, but even with that speed, I can't outmaneuver everybody, but you, your rifts can make it happen."

"Rifts plus your speed means that we have insane mobility, enough to keep our lead for the whole time!" exclaimed Derek.

"Yeah, you get my plan!" said Barry.

Taking Barry's hand, Derek got to his feet. "All Right, let's make it happen!"

* * *

An alarm blares off, signaling the end of team building.

"Now then, it's about time to get started!" announced Midnight.

Derek had gotten on top of Barry's back.

"I'm not too heavy, am I?" asked Derek.

"No, you're actually pretty light." Answered Barry, "Lighter than Tetsutetsu would have been anyway."

"Woah, you actually considered Tetsutetsu?" said Derek.

"Yeah, I decided against having back problems for the rest of my life." Said Barry.

"HEY BLONDIE!" screamed a familiar voice.

Barry glanced across the field to see Bakugo.

"PREPARE TO BE CRUSHED!" shouted Bakugo.

"He's kinda intimidating." Worried Derek.

"Don't worry about it, remember the plan, if we get boxed in, rift us out, got it?" asked Barry.

"Got it!" answered Derek.

Barry and Derek readied themselves for the oncoming storm.

_This is it, everyone's going to be gunning for Derek's headband, so it's win or lose, do or die!_

"Are you ready Barry?" asked Derek.

"I'm READY!" shouted Barry.

"START!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is really short, unfortunately, but Luckily you guys won't have to wait for another chapter!


	14. Rifts And Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cavalry battle begins! Barry and Derek must now navigate a maelstrom of opposition to reach their goal. Will they succeed and press on, or be met with crushing failure.

"START!" Exclaimed Midnight, marking the start of the cavalry battle. Barry and Derek immediately found themselves besieged at all side's bye different teams led by Tetsutetsu, Hagakure, and Mineta.

"It's a rush, floor it, Barry!" Screamed Derek.

Barry tries to move, but finds his movement sluggish, looking down, he realizes that the ground has softened and become mud, the result of a quirk no doubt.

"Really, this is the second time someone did something to my feet today!" exclaimed Barry!

"Barry, they're getting closer." Worried Derek.

True to Derek's words, the teams had closed the distance.

_Don't think, just go._

"DEREK THINK FAST!" Barry screamed before throwing Derek with all his might.

"Wha-AAAAAAAAA!" Derek screamed after being fastballed.

_Huh, I'm stronger than I thought._

"There goes the 10-Million-point headband!" screamed Tetsutetsu, the many team's attention shifted to the flying Derek, leaving Barry unnoticed. Sticking his hands into the mud, Barry vibrates his molecules the just the right frequency, before causing an explosion that sends mud everywhere.

"WHA-I'M VISIBLE!" Screamed Hagakure.

"I CAN SEE CURVES!" Shouted Mineta.

"I CAN'T SEE SHIT!" Screamed Tetsutetsu.

Barry smiles and runs around the confused teams.

"BAAARRRRRYYYY!" Screams Derek.

Barry runs under Derek and catches him, holding him bridal style as the duo continues.

"How was that?" asked Barry.

"Let's not throw me again." Replied a frazzled Derek.

* * *

"WHAT A PAIRING FOR TEAM JAMES!" Announced Present Mic.

"True, Allen is fast, but even with his speed, some quirks and strategies can box him in, that's where James come in. Derek James' rifts act like a get out of jail free card, they practically invalidate any strategy for boxing them in. The pairing in off itself is a Nightmare for any team to deal with." Explained Aizawa.

"A LITTLE LONG WINDED BUT EXCELLENT COMMENTARY" emoted Present Mic.

* * *

"Sooner or later Barry! I'm gonna stick YA" shouted Mineta, who was giving chase to Barry while riding Shoji.

"Maybe you should rethink your strategy, how did sticking me turn out last time?" replied Barry.

Mineta shuddered at the thought, missing another throw.

"BARRY!" shouted Derek, causing Barry to look ahead.

"I'VE GOT YOU NOW BLONDIE!" screamed Bakugo, he was airborne and was mere feet from the duo.

"RIFT!" Screamed Barry.

True to the strategy, Derek makes a gesture and opens a rift in front of them, allowing both of them to go through, and closing it before Mineta's team could follow suit.

Emerging on the other side, Barry and Derek both stopped to catch their breath.

"How long do we have?" asked Derek.

"10 Minutes, 30% through, and I'm doing all the running, why are you panting?" Replied Barry.

"Rifting can be taxing." Said Derek.

"Oh, ok, just make sure to have enough energy to last us the whole match." Said Barry.

"NOT IF WE CAN HELP IT!" screamed a new voice.

A startled Barry turned in time to see Hagakure, Jiro, Sato, and Kota catch them off guard. A panicked Barry quickly began to run but was not fast enough to escape Jiro's earphone jack.

"AAARGH" Screamed both Derek and Barry as their ears are pierced by the jack.

_The vibrations, getting dizzy, got to break away, but how? Maybe….._

Barry vibrated his and Derek's molecules, causing Jiro to retract her jacks.

"HMMM" Jiro covered her mouth as her face turned green.

Barry could sympathize, cause he was also about to puke. Staring down, he tried to focus on not losing his breakfast.

_I hope Derek doesn't hurl all over me!_

Barry was paying too much attention to the ground (and his stomach for that matter.) that he didn't notice who was right in front of him, coming to an abrupt stop, Barry came face to face with Todoroki, who's team comprised of Kaminari, Iida, and Yaoyorozu.

"Derek, I need another rift!" said Barry.

No response.

"Derek?" said Barry, puzzled.

It was then that Barry realized that Derek was unconscious!

_NO NO NO, NOT NOW!_

Barry began to turn to run but found himself surrounded by walls of ice of extreme height and width.

"You're not getting away from me!" said Todoroki.

Barry grimaced, "Come and get me then!"

* * *

"Damn, Those kids have real talent, and the synergies are great!" exclaimed Death Arms.

"Yeah, I already have idea's as to who I'll send invitations to." Said Animal-Man

The four heroes were watching the game intently, especially the race between Barry's team and Todoroki's team. Barry was running a gauntlet of ice walls with Todoroki's team in hot pursuit.

"Huh, why isn't the team leader rifting them out?" asked Kamui.

"It looks like he's unconscious." Said Mt Lady.

"HUH, wouldn't that count under attempts to dismount opponents." Asked Kamui.

"It looks like since the attack didn't force the kid from the saddle so to speak, the act was fine." Answered Death Arms.

"Huh, that reasoning is flimsy." Said Mt Lady.

"Maybe the attack wasn't what knocked the kid out, but the fast one's response?" wondered Animal-Man

"You're saying he knocked out his own teammate?" said Kamui.

"Not intentionally, but he definitely had a part." Said Animal-Man. "It's strange, it's like this kid is still learning his quirk."

* * *

*HUFF* *HUFF*

Barry came to a stop at the edge of the field, a dead end.

_Cornered huh._

Turning around, Barry came face to face with Todoroki.

"You could have put me in a dead-end earlier, why eat away at your own time?" asked Barry.

"It's easier to take your headband when you're too tired to move." Answered Todoroki.

True to Todoroki's words, Barry was having trouble staying on his feet.

"You're exhausted, just as we planned." Exclaimed Yaoyorozu.

"You are no longer the fastest person in the class as of this moment!" announced Iida.

Barry stumbled backward with Derek in tow as the enemy walked closer.

_Grrr, it hurts to stand, I don't see myself making it out by running. Maybe phase through the ice? No, I wouldn't make it before they caught me. Even if I did make it, it'd take a lot of vibration, and I don't see myself having the endurance to go all the way. I might be able to delay with only a minute left, but even 60 seconds leaves them plenty of time._

*Grunt*

_A grunt?_

Barry then noticed movement on his back.

"Derek? Are you awake?" asked Barry.

"Yeah, I wish I wasn't though." Said a quiet Derek.

"Hey now, don't puke all over me. Now, can you make us a portal?" asked Barry.

"Umm, I'm still pretty dizzy, and I need focus to make my rifts appear where I want them, if make one now, there's a good chance it won't be in the field." Said Derek.

"Damn!" Said Barry.

"Nowhere to run!" said Kaminari.

_Nowhere to run, but maybe somewhere to…._

"Derek, hold on tight!" said Barry.

"What now, where do we run." Asked Derek.

"We're not gonna run." Said Barry.

"What are we gonna do?" asked Derek.

"We're gonna FLY!" Screamed Barry.

Pointing his fists towards the ground, Barry rotated them at super speed causing enough wind to form 2 tornado's that fly Barry and Derek up into the Sky!

"WOOOOOOAAAAAAAHH" Screamed Derek.

"HA HA HA" Barry laughed and basked in absolute joy, "WOOO HOOOOO!" he screamed as began to scale the ice wall!

* * *

"WHAT A PLAY, THAT KID IS AN AFFRONT TO PHYSICS!" Screamed Present Mic. "Any commentary Aizawa."

Aizawa was simply staring in silence.

"WOW, EVEN AIZAWA IS IN AWE OF THIS KID!" Screamed Mic.

"Kaminari!" yelled Todoroki.

"Yeah?" said Kaminari.

"Do it." Replied Todoroki.

"Do what? OH, that!" said Kaminari.

Yaoyorozu prepares herself before creating a rubber blanket, cloaking the entire team excluding Kaminari, as electricity cackles around Kaminari.

* * *

"Arm's, getting, tired." Groaned Barry.

"C'mon Barry, just a little longer." Said Derek.

Barry was getting closer and closer to the top of the wall.

"Almost, There!" gasped Barry.

*Crack*

"AAAAAAAAAH" Both Derek and Barry screamed as a blast of electricity engulfed them both. With his energy gone and the breath knocked out of them, Barry could feel himself falling, Derek alongside him.

"Prepare yourself Todoroki!" said Iida as he prepped himself for a sprint.

"DEREK, MAKE A RIFT!" Screamed Barry.

"I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN!" Screamed Derek.

"JUST DO IT!" Screamed Barry.

Derek closed his eyes and began to concentrate, yellow energy spiking from his fingertips.

"NOW!" Shouted Todoroki.

Iida screamed forward at top speed.

"I GOT IT!" Shouted Derek, as he opened a portal below him and Barry.

"TIMES UP!" Announced Present Mic, as Barry and Derek tumbled through the portal to the other side of the field. "That's the end of the second round, the cavalry battle!"

Barry sat up, spitting out dirt from his mouth, but smiling.

"WE DID IT DEREK!" Shouted Barry.

"YEAH, BABY!" Screamed Derek.

The both of them began jumping with joy.

"Now, let's take a look at the top four teams right away!" Announced Present Mic, "In first place, Team Todoroki!"

"What?" said Barry, confused, "Derek?"

Derek was patting his head, looking for a headband that wasn't there.

"I…" he muttered, "I think I lost it."

Both boys looked over to see that Todoroki was holding the 10-million-point headband.

_But how did he…._

Barry thought back to the fall, he had noticed Iida running his team towards them at top speed. Looking back, he noticed that the engine on Iida's calves was smoking.

_He must have had some kind of super move, an ace in the hole. He used it, and he caught us right at the end._

"Hey Derek, maybe my points are enough?" Asked Barry.

"Barry, they called the four teams, the others were Team Bakugo, Shinso, and Midoriya. We didn't make the cut." Replied Derek.

The boys could only hang their heads in shame as the crowds cheered.

* * *

"Damn it, we were so close!" said Derek, as the two exited the Stadium.

"Yeah, they got us good." Replied Barry. "It was a combination of bad luck and their smarts outwitting ours."

The two walked down the market stalls, looking over the stalls.

"So, who do you think is going to win the tournament?" asked Derek.

"I'd put money on Todoroki, I hope he wipes the floor with Bakugo!" said Barry.

"Hah, me too." Said Derek. "Hey, I'm gonna get some BatBurger, want anything?"

"Sure, a Bane with Jokerized Fries." Replied Barry.

Derek nodded and headed off to get some food.

"Hey." Cried a new voice.

Barry turned to find a certain hero approaching him.

"Are you the fast kid?" asked Animal-Man.

"Umm, yeah, you're Animal-Man right." Replied Barry.

"Yes, how did you know, I'm not that big of a deal in the Hero Community." Said Animal-Man.

"Well see, a while back, like a really long while back, I met you in Death Valley, you helped my family get to a service station." Answered Barry.

"I knew I saw you from somewhere, Damn kid, you grew up!" said Animal-Man.

"Heh, yeah." Said Barry, a frown forming on his face.

"Hey, what's wrong kid?" asked Animal-Man.

"Well, Derek and I, we just lost the cavalry battle, We were on top till the very end, where I screwed up." Explained Barry, "I wasn't fast enough to keep away from the other teams, I tired myself out, I failed."

"Kid," said Animal-Man, "You're gonna lose some battles, some more important than others. But know this, the biggest thing, is to get up every time you do lose, never stay down. When they knock you on your ass, you stand right back up."

"Yes Sir!" said Barry.

"Mr. James, Mr. JAMES!"

Barry looked to see a woman running about frantically searching for someone.

"Looks like it's my time to go, I'll see you again hopefully!" said Animal-Man before departing.

"Bye!" said Barry before going to approach the lady.

"Maam, Are you looking for Derek James?" Asked Barry.

"Yes, I have an important message for his team." Said the lady.

"I'm his teammate, I can relay the message." Said Barry.

"Well good, here's the thing, 2 of the students in the winning teams have chosen to abstain, but we need 2 extra players." Explained the woman.

Barry's hopes began to flutter. "What do you mean?"

"Well, your team came in 5th, so we decided that you would take their places." Said the Woman, "I have to get back now, but please relay this info to your teammate."

The woman left Barry speechless, he could only stand for what felt like hours.

"Hey Barry, who was that lady?" asked Derek, who was carrying a tray with food on it. "Did she say something."

"We're still in," whispered Barry.

"What?" said Derek.

"Some of the students abstained from the games, we're filling in." Barry said, elated, "WE'RE STILL IN."

Barry jumped with joy as Derek dropped his food in shock.

"We, WE'RE STILL IN, YEAH!" screamed Derek.

Both boys practically skipped back to the Arena.

_We're still in the game, this is for you mom!_


	15. Immovable Object

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tournament begins! Barry must face his first opponent, one he may not be able to hurt at all!

"Now that lunch is over, it's finally time to reveal the last game!" announced Present Mic. "But before that, there's good news for all of those who didn't make it to the finals! This is just a sports festival! So we've prepared recreational games that everyone can participate in, too! We've even brought real cheerleaders in from America to liven things up."

The Stadium was alive as ever as Barry and Derek returned to the grounds.

"Oh Man, I thought we were out for good!" said a relieved Derek.

"I know, it was pure luck, but we're still in!" exclaimed Barry.

The boys continued to walk but stopped in their tracks at a strange sight. The girls of Class 1-A were all in cheerleader formation, wearing cheerleader clothing.

"Uh, why are they wearing clothes." Said Derek.

"It's obvious why they wear clothes, why are they wearing cheerleader outfits." Replied Barry.

"Oh, um, that's exactly what I meant, I just kinda blanked for a second."

"Yeah, me too."

The boys stood on complete and utter shock and awe. Barry, in particular, was staring at Mina.

_She's so … pretty._

Barry was to occupied to realize that Mina was staring back at him.

"Uh, Barry, you're staring." Deadpanned Mina.

"Uh, Nooooooo." Barry stammered, "But Derek Was."

"WHAT!" screamed Derek.

"Well, I'mofftothelockersIneedtoreplacemyshirtandshoes." Said Barry before speeding off.

"DAMN YOU BARRY ALLEN!" shouted Derek.

"Heh, he ditched you didn't he." Said Mineta, who had arrived on the scene with Kaminari.

"Yeah, do you guys have any idea why your classmates are dressed up like that?" asked Derek.

"Well, we may have had something to do with that." Said Kaminari.

"MINETA, KAMINARI, you tricked us, didn't you?!" screamed Yaoyorozu.

The duo smiled and gave each other thumbs up, eliciting a disgusted face from Derek.

"You guys are cold." Said Derek.

"Oh, yeah, ice cold." Replied Mineta.

"You guys wanna be ice cold on the outside too?" Said Derek.

"Huh." Said the duo.

Derek opens a rift above the duo, burying them in a pile of snow.

"Mountain snow, straight from the Himalayas!" said Derek.

"GAH, SO COLD!" screamed Mineta.

Unnoticed by the rest of the students Mina was deep in thought.

_Was he really staring, did I want him to stare? GAAAH, I DON'T KNOW!_

* * *

Barry had gone to the locker room, and he'd finally sorted out his clothing situation.

_Alright, now I'm ready!_

Barry went to the mirror and took a look at himself, aside from a few bruises, he looked fine, except for….

_Is my nose….. bleeding! THAT'S A THING!_

* * *

"All right everyone! Let's have fun competing in the recreational games!" announced Present Mice, "When that's over, the sixteen from the four teams that made it to the final round will duke it out tournament style, one by one!"

_So that's it then, a tournament, battle for supremacy. It sounds awesome, I wonder who I'm up against._

"Now, let's draw lots to determine the bracket." Announced Midnight, "Once the bracket is determined, we'll have the recreational games and then start!"

_Great, I'm looking forward to this, I wonder who I'll be up against?_

* * *

"That Barry kid has a bright future ahead of him, I'm sure of it." Said Animal-Man.

"How can you be so sure?" asked Death Arms.

"Just a gut feeling." Said Animal-Man.

The two heroes were sharing a drink at the bar.

"Does this mean he's getting a work-study with you?" asked Death Arms.

"If he accepts." Replied Animal-Man

"I think you'd make a damn good teacher." Said Death Arms.

"You think so?" questioned Animal-Man.

"Hell, scratch that, you already are!" replied Death Arms.

"Hm, Thanks Death-Arms!" said Animal-Man, clinking his glass with Death Arms.

* * *

"Audience!" announced Present Mic, "The finals you've all been waiting for are finally starting! Match Number one- He's been going strong for the whole day, but while he may have fumbled in the chariot race, a stroke of luck has given him another go. Welcome from the Hero Course, BARRY ALLEN!"

_That's me, better get out there!_

Barry quickly sped into the stadium, striking a dramatic pose.

"Versus- while he's not super flashy, but he's hard as a boulder, it's Eijiro Kirishima from the Hero Course!" announced Present Mic.

Kirishima ran out into the stadium, also striking a dramatic pose.

_Oh crud, this is gonna be a nasty fight._

"The rules are simple!" stated Present Mic, "Force your opponent out of bounds, or immobilize them! You can also win by making your opponent say "I give up!"

_Yeah, I doubt Kirishima will ever admit defeat._

"Oh, and bring on the injuries, because we've got our very own Recovery Girl waiting on standby! Put your morals and ethics aside for a moment!" announced Present Mic.

_What? Is he serious?_

"But of course, anything life-threatening is crap! Heroes should only use their fists to catch villains!" said Present Mic.

_There's the clarification._

Cementoss, a cement-based hero, created a chair and sat as a referee, "I'll stop things if they go too far!" he said.

As the boys entered the arena and faced each other off, Kirishima spoke up.

"Hey Barry!" said Kirishima.

"Yeah." Said Barry.

"No hard feelings, But I'm gonna kick the snot out of you." Boasted Kirishima.

"Oh, I don't think so." Said Barry.

"READY!" said Present Mic.

"Don't get overconfident." Said Kirishima.

"Right back at you Buckeroo." Replied Barry.

"START!" announced Present Mic.

Barry blitzed towards Kirishima at incredible speed.

_I gotta end this quick, try taking him out in one shot._

Barry raised a fist and put all his force behind it as he threw a left hook at Kirishima's head. Unfortunately, a loud crack was audible as his hand crumpled against Kirishima's Rock Hard Skin.

"YEOWCH" screamed Barry.

"Huh, don't put all your eggs in one basket Barry." Said Kirishima, raising both hands.

Before Barry could bolt, Kirishima wrapped both hands around Barry's torso and squeezed hard. Barry could hear bones cracking.

"I doubt you'll give up this early, but I think you should save us some time!" said Kirishima.

"OH, COULD THIS BE AN EARLY VICTORY FOR KIRISHIMA!" announced Present Mic.

_Not on my watch!_

Vibrating his molecules, Barry phased out of Kirishima's grip, putting some distance between them.

_I can't afford to get close for long, carrying him is out of the question, he's just to heavy. I already busted my hand with the direct approach, so how bout I try a more ranged option!_

Barry began rotating his arms, forming the tornados that had been his hallmark.

"Not Today buddy!" shouted Kirishima, who drove his hands into the ground.

When the winds hit Kirishima, he was firmly rooted in the ground.

_Damn, he knows that move too well. Maybe hit and run attacks will work._

Barry began running by Kirishima, hitting him with light but noticeable strikes to his legs and stomach.

"Gah." Grunted Kirishima as the wind got knocked out of him.

* * *

"This is interesting!" said Death Arms. "It's like an unstoppable force meets an immovable object."

"Damn, you're right." Said Animal-Man, "Barry is trying to wear down the immovable object, make him movable and more vulnerable."

"Yeah, but how long before the immovable object hits back!" said Death Arms.

* * *

_This is working, I'm wearing him down!_

Barry continued throwing punches at Kirishima, trying his hardest to wear him down.

"You think you got it all figured out don't you." Said Kirishima through the punches.

"Maybe?" said Barry.

"See, you've made a big mistake." Said Kirishima.

"What are you-" Barry was interrupted when Kirishima threw a right hook, precisely where Barry was charging, hitting Barry square in the face and causing him to flip into the air before landing on his front.

"OOH, THAT LOOKED LIKE IT HURT!" shouted Present Mic.

"You were hitting me in a pattern, and that made you predictable." Said Kirishima.

Barry got up on his hands and knees before feeling his face and realizing that his nose was flattened against the rest of his face. It bled profusely, dripping off of his face and onto the ground.

_Yeowch, that really stings!_

Barry got up on his feet and faced Kirishima.

_Nothing I can do can really put Kirishima down, I wish I had something that I could use against him._

Barry got on his hands and knees, and felt the energy course through his body, lightning crackling around him.

_Wait, this lightning, can I…use it?_

Barry could feel the energy coursing through him, he could feel that energy start at his feet, snake its way up his legs, and stop at his head.

_Maybe if I redirect that energy?_

Barry stood up, retaining the energy inside him.

"WHAT'S THIS, IS THE BOY GIVING UP!" announced Present Mic.

_Well he's jumping the gun._

Barry began to run, first at Kirishima, and then in circles around him.

"If you think that another gust of wind will get me, you're wrong!" said Kirishima as he dug himself in.

"Oh, that's not what I'm doing, but thanks for making yourself an easier target." Said Barry.

"Huh?" said Kirishima.

_Gotta act fast!_

Continuing to spin, Barry began to feel the energy build in his torso, then his arms, then his hands. He could see the electricity crackling from his fingers, almost like holding a lightning bolt.

"Sorry Kirishima!" said Barry.

Barry finally stopped, and with a throw of the arm released the energy that had built up, the ensuing blast of electricity traveled like a bolt of lightning, hitting Kirishima square in the chest and sending him flying. While he didn't land out of bounds, he did land as a crumpled heap of smoking rock.

"Um, Kirishima, are you ok?!" asked Barry.

Kirishima responded with a thumbs up in the air before falling unconscious.

"WOW, WHAT AN ENDING, DID HE JUST PULL THAT POWER OUT OF HIS ASS!" shouted Present Mic.

"Mic, we're on broadcast television." Said Aizawa.

"Oops, normally I have to remind you!" Said Present Mic. "Anyway, in the finals, the first person to advance to the second round is Barry Allen of Class 1-A!"

Barry wanted to celebrate, but he felt that he should get his nose fixed first.

_Man, that was roughhhhhhhhh._

Barry collapsed on the ground.

* * *

"HEY MAN, YOU STOLE MY MOVE!" Shouted Kaminari.

"Hey, calm down Kaminari," said Barry.

"You calm down, and stop copying me, what even is your quirk?!" asked Kaminari.

Barry put his hands in the air and shrugged.

"THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!" screamed Kaminari.

The two were in the infirmary, though Kaminari had snuck in to interrogate Barry.

"Mr. Kaminari, if you are done screaming, I would like to attend to my patient." Said Recovery Girl.

Kaminari gave Barry a hairy eye before leaving.

"Honestly, kids these days." Said Recovery Girl.

"Yeah." Said Barry.

"That means you too, you took some hard knocks." Said Recovery Girl. "But not as bad as Kirishima here."

Recovery Girl opened a curtain, revealing a sleeping Kirishima.

"I didn't hurt him too bad, did I?" said Barry.

"Well, his brain was scrambled like an egg, but he'll be fine. Heck, I bet he'll wake up in a minute or two." Said Recovery Girl.

"Great!" said Barry.

"Excuse me, but I must use the lou." Said Recovery Girl before making her exit. As soon as she left, Kirishima grunted and began to wake up.

"Ugh, what happened." Asked Kirishima.

"I fried your brain like an egg." Said Barry.

"Yeah, what the hell man, you never told me you could throw freakin lightning!" said Kirishima.

"Yeah, I didn't know either!" said Barry.

"Heh, it makes sense that you won." Said Kirishima.

Barry felt something was amiss, "Hey, why did you say that?"

"It's just that, your power is so much flashier than mine, and It does so much more than mine. I should've expected this." Said Kirishima.

"Hey, don't say that. You're way better than you give yourself credit for, plus, you literally crushed my nose against my face." Said Barry.

"Oops, sorry about that." Said Kirishima.

"Heh, don't sweat it, call my electrotherapy payback." Said Barry

"Hah, give me a hand man!" said Kirishima

The boys gave each other a high five, clasping hands like brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope my fight scenes impress you guys!


	16. The Fast And The Furious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new adversary! Barry faces an opponent that tests his speed, creating a challenge that will determine who truly is the fastest man alive!

"Match number three! He made a splash as first place during the first round, and his creativity has served him well, Welcome from the Hero Course, Derek James!" announced Present Mic.

The roar of the stadium was music to Derek's ears, though he was still a bit nervous as he stepped onto the field.

"And on the other side is a man with glamor and flash, It's Yuga Aoyama!" announced Present Mic.

A spritely Aoyama skipped out onto the field. The two boys met in the middle.

"Prepare for annihilation at the hands of moi." Said Aoyama.

"Um, ok?" replied Derek.

"READY…..START!" announced Present Mic.

"HYAAAA" screamed Aoyama as he unleashed a massive laser volley from his bellybutton.

"AH" screamed Derek as he made a rift in front of him, a second rift forming to Aoyama's left.

"Eh?" said Aoyama before being blasted out of the Arena by his own blast.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE FASTEST ROUND IN U.A. HISTORY." Announced Present Mic.

"Heh, that was scary." Said Derek.

* * *

"Heh, that was quick." Said Death Arms.

"Yes indeed, a singular powerful blow would work on most people." Said Animal-Man.

"But not someone who's quirk is Rifting." Said Death Arms.

* * *

"Congrats on making it to the second round Derek!" said Barry.

"Aoyama didn't exactly make it hard." Admitted Derek with a hand on the back of his head. The boys were talking before Barry went out onto the field.

"You're part of the first match again?" asked Derek.

"Yup," said Barry, "I've been put on straight away again."

"ARE YOU READY!"

The boys heard Present Mic announce the beginning of the match.

"There it is! Get out there and win buddy, hope I see you in the finals!" said Derek.

"You bet!" said Barry.

* * *

"Round 2, Match 1! This especially speedy match will be a face off between BARRY ALLEN!," announced Present Mic, "And TENYA IIDA!"

The boys made their walk onto the field. During the walk, Barry noticed something god about Iida, his body language. He was slouched, his facial expression grim, he looked as if he'd just seen a murder.

_He looks like me when….. no, don't think about that._

The boys met in the field.

"Hey Iida, you ok? You look kinda down." Asked Barry.

Iida frowned before putting on a smile, "You mustn't distract yourself from the fight Allen, it could easily result in your loss."

"READY…..START!" announced Mic.

Both heroes immediately broke into a charge, hurtling themselves towards each other at top speed.

_Go for the engines!_

Barry throws a punch towards Iida's knee, hoping to cripple him, but Iida instead leaps upward, dodging Barry's punch, and delivering a rocket-powered kick to the side of Barry's head. Barry stumbled back, letting out a quiet "ow" before charging Iida again. This time, Iida uses a rocket-propelled sweep, but Barry sees it first, leaping up, Barry puts a knee to Iida's chin that causes him to fall onto his back. Barry sticks the landing before turning back towards Iida. Iida gets up, feels his chin, then prepares to charge Barry again.

* * *

"It's a war of attrition?" questioned Death Arms, still watching the tournament.

"Yes, a war of attrition. It's a difficult strategy, but effective if you aren't lacking in endurance." Explained Animal-Man, "You push the enemy until they're at their limit, then push just a little more."

* * *

_Maybe I should stop throwing myself at Iida, wearing him down isn't working._

The two charge at each other again, Iida going for a high kick while Barry goes for a slide underneath.

_We missed each other again! I have to change it up somehow. Maybe If I get Iida off the ground!_

Barry began to rotate his arms, kicking up dirt as the wind began to circulate around his arms. However, as soon as Barry began to create tornados, Iida charged him again and delivered a swift kick to Barry's jaw, knocking him backward.

"You won't catch me off guard with that!" said Iida.

_Gah, he's got me cornered! I could try to keep racing against him, but we'd just tire each other out. Trying to use lightning won't work either, he'd just stop me again._

Barry thought for a moment before realizing what he needed to do.

Barry got down into a sprinters position and began to run, not at Iida, but just around him in general, turning to avoid running out of the field. Iida eagerly kicked his engines in gear and began to race after Barry.

* * *

"So they've given up on a war of attrition have they?" said Death Arms.

"Make no mistake, it's still a war of attrition, but this time, Barry has turned the subject of that war from physical strikes to a battle of stamina, a race for victory!" said Animal-Man.

* * *

"C'mon Iida, catch me if you can!" said Barry.

Iida was racing after Barry, attempting to catch up to him. However, Barry was faster. Even when he attempted to cut Barry off, Barry was just that bit faster. Iida couldn't catch him. Eventually, with only a minute on the clock, Iida realized what he had to do.

"You're a worthy opponent Allen, but this ends now!" Iida shouted.

Iida's engines began to flare up, more exhaust and fire-spitting out.

"Torque Over-Reciproburst!" shouted Iida.

In only a second, Iida caught up to Barry, for a moment, the two traded an incredible number of blows, moving faster than the eye could see. But once the moment was over, Iida screeched to a halt.

"No!" Iida screamed in desperation as his legs smoked, refusing to budge.

"Heh, right into my hand!" said Barry as he blasted past Iida, delivering a punch to the jaw.

"You were too fast to fight head-on, we would just trade blows or miss altogether. I knew I had to take that speed away somehow! Then I remembered the move you used during the chariot battle. I saw that you couldn't use your legs after that move, so I baited it out." Said Barry, delivering another blow to Iida's gut.

"Gugk." Iida grunted, falling to his knees, "but how did you block all my strikes?"

"I have to be honest, I don't know everything about my quirk, but I do know that I do more than move fast. I found out a while back, but I can actually think fast too. I process information faster than most people. Granted I don't retain the info for long, but in the moment, If I focus, I can't be hit!" explained Barry, "I think it's time to end this!"

Barry grabbed Iida, ran him to the edge of the field, and promptly tossed him out of bounds.

"WHAT A ROUND, I DIDN'T EVEN SEE HALF THE PUNCHES THROWN! BARRY ALLEN PROCEEDS TO THE SEMIFINALS!"

"YEAH!" shouted Barry, throwing a fist into the air.

Iida and Barry walked off the field and into the stadium insides, the deafening cheering quieted down as Barry turned to Iida.

"Iida, I know you just lost, and you may not want to talk to me, but I can tell somethings wrong." Said Barry.

Iida looked up with a sad expression on his face, but quickly attempted to shake it off, "It's nothing" he said.

"Listen, I know the look on your face, I've worn it myself for years before going to U.A. something bad is on your mind, It's best to talk about it instead of bottling it up." Said Barry.

Iida hesitated for a moment but eventually relented.

"I suppose that since you trained under him, you should know this too." Said Iida.

"Know what?" said Barry.

"My brother, Ingenium, a villain bested him." Explained Iida.

Barry's eyes widened, "What?! Is he?"

"No, not dead, but the extent of his injuries aren't known to me, it's worrying me greatly." Said Iida.

Barry's face grew dark.

"Barry?" said Iida.

"That wasn't a fair fight!" Barry said, "I should have known you had something on your mind."

Iida paused for a moment before putting a hand on Barry's shoulder, "Barry, I may have been distracted, but your strategy was still sound, and don't punish yourself for something that isn't your fault."

Barry didn't really take the answer but pretended to.

"Ok." Said Barry.

"I'm going to see my brother now, I'll see you later." Said Iida.

"Yeah, see you later." Said Barry.

Iida left to see his brother, leaving Barry with an awful feeling in his gut.

_Please, god, don't let it be bad!_

Barry tried to psych himself up for the next match, but he didn't feel good about beating Iida. The initial burst of adrenaline from victory faded so something sour. Barry could only stew in the fact that his victory was unearned.

* * *

Derek James felt very lucky. He had gotten lucky with the Chariot race, and he had gotten lucky with Aoyama's braindead decision-making. He hoped he would be lucky against his next opponent.

"Round 2, Match 4! Derek James vs Mina Ashido!" announced Present Mic.

The two students walked out onto the field to the cheers of the stadium, among them Class 1-A and Class 1-B.

"Oh, Barry!" said an excited Midoriya, greeting Barry as he joined the audience to watch.

"Hey Midoriya, you're looking a little beat up!" said Barry, noticing that his friend was heavily bandaged, especially around the arms.

"Yeah, Todoroki was pretty ruthless!" said Midoriya, "By the way, where'd Iida go?"

"Yeah, we're worried about him!" added Uraraka.

"He, um, said he had family matters, he couldn't make it." Replied Barry.

Barry wanted to talk further, but not only would that intrude on Iida's privacy, but someone was yelling!

"Beat her Sir James!" yelled Monoma, "Beat Her to prove Class B's Superiority!"

"I'm not doing this for you Monoma!" yelled back Derek.

"Hey Derek, you're the last of our class in the tournament! Make it to the end for us!" shouted Kendo.

"Uuuum, YEAH, I WILL!" cheered Derek while madly blushing.

"HMM, and what prompted this change in attitude I WONDER" shouted Monoma, before being promptly drenched in freezing water.

"J-j-j-jeez, what is Derek's obsession with making people cold!" said Monoma.

Derek finally arrived in the ring, facing off against Mina.

"Heh, sorry to tell you this, but this is gonna hurt." Said Derek.

"I know, but don't worry, Recovery Girl knows how to treat acid burns." Replied Mina.

"ulp!" Derek's confidence sunk.

"READY…..START!" announced Present Mic.

Mina quickly threw acid at Derek, causing him to dodge out of the way. Derek sets up a rift behind Mina, grabbing her by the back of the collar, then pulling her through the portal and tossing her onto the ground. Mina immediately scrambled to her feet and put some distance between them.

"You know, for a lanky guy like you, you've got some serious strength." Said Mina.

"Thanks for noticing." Said Derek, opening another portal behind Mina.

"Not this time!" said Mina, turning and throwing acid through the portal.

"Agh!" Derek finds his shirt splattered by acid and melting, "Don't take any more of my clothes!"

"Sure, I'll just aim for the HEAD!" Mina shouted, charging Derek and tossing a big dollop of acid at him.

"AGH" Derek screamed again and placed a last-minute rift in front of him, sending the acid somewhere else.

_Please don't land in the audience!_

"HEY, NO ATTACKING THE REF!" erupted Cementoss, who had to make a concrete wall to avoid being hit by acid.

"SORRY!" said Derek.

* * *

"You would think that James would have the advantage, but Mina's running circles around him!" said Midoriya.

"That's because Derek is a little indecisive. If he had quicker thinking, he could have this in the back!" said Barry.

The two began to mutter ominously to each other about strategy and tactics to the despair of their classmates.

"I didn't realize that they were so alike!" said Jiro.

"Yeah, they couldn't be closer nerd bros!" said Kaminari.

* * *

Derek observed that Mina was sliding around on her acid.

"What in the-" said Derek in disbelief.

"Try and catch me now!" shouted Mina.

_Wait, why didn't I just rift her out at the beginning?_

Derek ran to the edge of the field and created a rift leading out of bounds. The other rift forms in front of Mina. Mina slides through the rift and straight out of bounds.

"WHAT!" screamed Mina, "Damn it all!"

"YES DEREK, YOU HAVE CRUSHED THE OPPOSITION! VICTORY BELONGS TO CLASS B!" screamed Monoma before receiving a strike to the back of the head, courtesy of Kendo.

"Thanks, he was annoying," said Kirishima

"I'm kinda conflicted, I'm glad Derek finally figured out his best move in these fights, but I was really rooting for Mina!" said Barry.

"I say that you keep your loyalty to Class A Barry!" said Mineta.

"Oh don't tell me you got caught up in that too!" said Barry.

"Hush everyone, the semifinals match rosters have been shown." Said Yaoyorozu.

The large screen blinked on, showing the two semifinal roster rounds. One match showed Derek Going up against Katsuki Bakugo, the other showed Barry going up against Shoto Todoroki.

_This is it! Almost there Mom!_

The boys gave each other a high five, clasping hands like brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so dumb, I made an error porting this fic to Ao3 and repeated a chapter. I'm so sorry for the mistake.


	17. Who We Fight For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battles continue as the semi-finals start! Who will advance and who will fall?!

"I can't do this."

"Yes, you can!"

Derek was pacing back and forth around the entrance to the battlefield, and he wasn't very confident. Barry meanwhile, was trying to hype him up.

"C'mon dude, this is Bakugo we're talking about, he's going to annihilate me!" said Derek.

"You don't know that!" replied Barry.

"That doesn't help me!" said Derek.

Barry sighed. If Derek remained this nervous, he didn't have a chance.

"Listen, Derek, do you have any family out there in the stands." Asked Barry.

"Huh?" said Derek.

"Do you have anyone you're close too out there rooting for you?" said Barry.

"Um, yeah. My mom is out there." Said Derek.

Barry paused for a moment before continuing, "Derek, your mom is out there to watch YOU, right?"

"Yeah?" said Derek.

"Then you gotta give it your all for her, for Class 1-B, for everyone even mildly annoyed with Bakugo's attitude!" Piped Barry, "You got this, 'cause you're fighting for them!"

Derek paused for a moment, before smiling and extending his hand.

"Thanks, Barry, I feel better now!" said Derek.

"Heh, you're welcome man!" said Barry, taking his hand and shaking it.

"And it's match 1 of the semifinals! Derek James versus Katsuki Bakugo!" announced Present Mic.

Derek glanced out into the field before looking back at Barry.

"Go get em man!" said Barry.

Derek gave him a thumbs up before walking out onto the field.

Derek stepped out onto the field, opposing an angry as ever Bakugo.

"don't bother trying, Extra!" sneered Bakugo, "I'm gonna roll right over you!"

Derek felt small at first, but he remembered Barry's words and grew more confident.

"Bakugo, maybe I'll roll over YOU!" taunted Derek.

Bakugo began firing explosions out of his hands in anger, "WHAT DID YOU SAY!"

* * *

"Kacchan looks more riled up than normal?" said Midoriya.

"Maybe Derek is trying to set him off?" replied Barry.

"H-H-He shouldn't do that! Bakugo could really hurt him!" said Midoriya.

"I don't think you should undersell Derek," said Kendo, "He's a bit of an airhead, but he's got talent, I think he's got a good chance."

"What about you Barry, what do you think?" asked Midoriya.

Barry looked down at the field, "In most fights, Derek has a big advantage. He has the ability to plop his opponent out of bounds pretty much instantly, look what happened to Mina!" said Barry.

"Hey!" said Mina.

"Sorry! Anyways, normally he would have the advantage. But, after seeing his fight with Uraraka, I can see that Bakugo's reactions are far faster than the rest of the class." Explained Barry, "Derek really has to give it everything he's got if he wants to win this one."

* * *

"READY…START!"

Bakugo launches towards Derek, rocketing towards him at top speed. Derek tries to make a rift to trick Bakugo into going out of bounds, but Bakugo uses his explosions to launch himself above the rift. Torquing his body, Bakugo launches an explosion into Derek's back, sending him through the rift. Derek lands near the edge of the field, not out of bounds, but close. Shaking off the dust, Derek looks up to see Bakugo flying towards him again.

"You don't have what it takes extra!" screamed Bakugo, "At least give me something you haven't done before!"

_Oh man, I can't catch him by surprise! ... Or can I?_

Derek forms a rift in front of him.

"Hah, running again!" screamed Bakugo, who's head shot around, looking for the other end of the rift. He was surprised to find that there was only one rift in the field.

"Where're you going huh!" shouted Bakugo, still rocketing towards the rift Derek created initially.

"NOWHERE!" shouted Derek.

Before Bakugo knew it, the rift in front of Derek dissipated, revealing that Derek had not moved an inch. Readying his fist, Derek threw a left jab straight into Bakugo's gut. Gritting his teeth, Bakugo slid back a few meters, trying to catch his breath after getting the wind knocked out of him.

* * *

"A FAKEOUT! WHAT A PLAY!" announced Present Mic.

"WOAH, I never expected anyone to catch Kacchan of guard like that." Said Midoriya.

"Yeah, Derek is getting it in his head that he needs to do more with his portals than he's used to. It's a great quirk!" said Barry.

"I hope he keeps this up though, who knows how long he can keep Bakugo on the ropes!" said Mina.

* * *

Derek quickly sprinted towards Bakugo, hoping to press the advantage. Bakugo, realizing he was in trouble, used an explosion to put some distance between them.

_Not on my watch!_

Making a horizontal rift, Derek hopped into a rift behind Bakugo, intercepting him in midair and delivering a dropkick to his back.

"GAAAH" he grunted in pain.

_I gotta hit him again!_

Before Bakugo could recover, Derek rifted underneath himself while falling, the momentum carrying him through the rift and upward into an uppercut to Bakugo's jaw. Before Derek could attack again, Bakugo puts both of his hands in front of himself and lets out a huge explosion, blasting Derek into the ground.

"WOAH, A SUPERB COUNTERMOVE! IS IT OVER?!" announced Present Mic.

Bakugo lands on the ground, bruised but ready for another fight. Meanwhile, Derek slowly picks himself up, his figure embedded in the ground.

"Where did THAT come from?!" said Bakugo, "I didn't think you had it in you extra!"

"Shut. Up. And don't call me extra!" said Derek, shaking off the debris, "You wanna know why I have it in me!"

Derek stood up and looked Bakugo dead in the eyes.

"I'm doing this for more than myself, I'm doing this for my friends, my family! I have people who I fight for, you don't." Said Derek, pissing off Bakugo even more, "That's why you're gonna lose!"

"BASTARD!" screamed Bakugo before unloading a huge volley of explosions at Derek.

Creating a rift, Derek stood behind it and let the explosions pour into the rift. Bakugo looked down to see the other end of the rift seconds before being bombarded by his own explosions.

"AAAAAAHHH."

Bakugo screamed as the explosions created a massive cloud of dust and debris, completely shrouding the Field.

* * *

"HOLY!" said Barry, his heart leaping into his throat.

"I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU CLASS A! OUR CLASSMATE IS CURRENTLY ANNIHILATING YOUR BEST FIGHTER AND THERE'S NAUGHT YOU CAN DO!" shouted Monoma.

"Does he ever stop talking?" asked Barry.

"Nope." Replied Kendo.

"That aside, Derek is doing great! I hope I can do just as well against Todoroki!" said Barry.

"I wouldn't count Kacchan out just yet Barry! He's smarter than you realize." Said Midoriya.

* * *

Derek waded through the dust and debris, blind as a bat.

_Please be down please be down please just be OUT COLD!_

Derek continued to wander around, cautious of all angles, when suddenly, a hand shot out of the wall of dust, grabbing his arm. Derek whipped around to find Bakugo pressing another hand directly against his face.

_Shit_

"GAME OVER!" screamed Bakugo before unleashing a massive singular explosion. The blast sends Derek flying out of the field and into the stadium wall, cracking the concrete wall and leaving Derek in a bloody heap as the audience looked on in horror.

"MATCH OVER! BAKUGO WINS!" announced Present Mic.

"Derek!" said Barry before rushing down to see Derek.

As Derek lay on the ground, his face looking like it was struck by a sledgehammer, Bakugo approached him and stood over him.

"You may be a bastard, but you're no extra. Hope we meet again...James." Said Bakugo before he walked into the stadium, passing Barry.

As Derek is loaded onto a stretcher, Barry rushed to his side.

"Holy crap Derek, that was amazing!" said Barry.

"I know right," groaned Derek, "I even got promoted beyond the term extra!"

Barry was about to say something when a new voice made itself known.

"DEREK!"

Barry turned to see a woman in her early 30's, dressed in a business suit, running over to Derek.

"Derek honey, are you ok?!" asked the woman.

"Yeah mom, I'm fine. I might look like mashed potatoes right now, but I tried my best!" said Derek, "That's enough right?"

"Oh Derek," said the woman as she cupped Derek's cheek, "Your best is enough, it'll always be enough!"

The woman kissed Derek on the forehead before accompanying him to the infirmary.

* * *

The bar was getting surprisingly full, with dozens of people clamoring for seats in front of the TVs.

"I can't see a damn thing!" said Death Arms.

"Ah leave it alone Death Arms!" said Animal-Man.

"Excuse me, gentleman." Said the Bartender, catching the attention of the two, "If you wish, I can get you guys access to the V.I.P. room."

"Sorry my friend, we don't have enough money on us." Said Animal-Man.

"No need sir, it's free of charge for you heroes!" said the Bartender.

"No no, I would rather not do that," said Animal-Man, "I'm not special, I'd rather be treated as any other person getting a drink and watching the tournament. Besides, I've been drinking for a while and I might hit my limit soon."

"I don't mean to be rude sir, but you aren't just another person getting a drink. I've seen you around the back alley areas that most heroes don't bother with, and you've saved more lives than most other heroes." Said the Bartender, "So please, take a trip to the V.I.P. room on the house, there's even another hero already in there."

Animal-Man looked down at his drink, unsure of what to do.

"Hey," said Death Arms, Putting a hand on Animal-Man's shoulder, "You're a modest and humble guy, but sometimes you gotta give yourself some credit!"

Death Arms stood up from his chair, "C'mon, lets cash the brownie points in for once!"

Animal-Man sighed before getting up and pushing his and Death Arms chairs in, "Fine."

* * *

Barry stood in the shadow of the entrance to the field. He didn't bother going back up to the audience, deciding to just wait for his turn.

"THE FINAL SEMI-FINAL ROUND! BARRY ALLEN VS SHOTO TODOROKI!" announced Present Mic.

_Alright, time to go. It's this, then the finals._

Barry steps out into the light and onto the field, ready to face his opponent as Todoroki did the same. The field felt colder than usual, likely due to Todoroki's chilly aura.

The boys met in the middle, Staring each other down. No words were swapped, no pretty talk, just two opponents staring each other down.

"Ready?" said Barry, to which Todoroki silently nodded.

"READY…..START!"

Placing his hand on the ground, Todoroki produced a huge blast of ice. Barry quickly ran to the side in the hopes of avoiding the attack, but the ice expanded faster than he expected, catching him off guard end completely encasing both himself and his side of the field in ice. The ice continued to expand, rising up as a spire until it dwarfed the stadium in height.

"IS THAT IT, IS THE ROUND OVER!" announced Present Mic.

"Will you stop assuming it's over!" deadpanned Aizawa.

* * *

"YOU!" said Animal-Man, "DID IT HAVE TO BE YOU!"

"Oh, put a cork in it PETA!" said a dark-skinned woman.

Death Arms and Animal-Man had been led by the bartender into a sleek private room decorated with a flat-screen TV, cushioned armchairs and couches, and a buzzer to order food and alcohol. Unfortunately, the room was occupied by the one-person Animal-Man couldn't stand.

"Why did it have to be you, Mirko." Said Animal-Man.

"You don't have to use Hero names here Bernhard." Said Mirko.

Death arms looked at Animal-Man, "Your real name is Bernhard?"

"Yeah, but I prefer the nickname Buddy." Said Animal-Man.

"Oh, well, I gotta ask another question. How do you know Usagiyama?" said Death Arms.

"Well, we had a…confrontation!" said Animal-Man, "I asked if she was willing to team up for a fight with a villain, and it didn't go like it could have."

"I work alone, Teams are for weaklings." Said Mirko, turning her attention back to the TV.

"If we worked together, maybe we could have minimized damage and not collapsed a parking garage full of empty cars, accruing millions in damages in the process!" chastised Animal-Man, "Whatever, is the TV tuned to the tournament?"

"Yeah, the Todoroki kid just wiped the floor with someone." Said Mirko.

Animal-Man took a glance at the TV, and his eyes widened, "Holy!"

Animal-Man sat down on the couch and began to observe the match.

* * *

_So cold._

Barry was completely immobilized, trapped in a massive structure of ice, and he had no way out.

_Normally I could vibrate my molecules and break the ice, but there's just so much of it, and it's thicker than before!_

Barry shivered, though it was difficult to do even that considering the lack of room to do so.

_Maybe I don't need to travel through the ice, maybe I just need to travel through._

Vibrating his molecules, Barry began to fall through the ice. Vibrating his molecules for that long caused a great deal of pain, but Barry pushed through it. Hitting the ground in the ice spire, Barry continued to vibrate his molecules as he stumbled out of the ice.

"LOOK AT THAT, THIS FIGHT ISN'T OVER YET FOLKS!"

"That was REALLY painful!" said Barry before looking up at Todoroki, who readied another blast of ice.

"NOT AGAIN!" screamed Barry as he charged to the right, avoiding the initial blast of ice and staying ahead of the freeze. Diving at Todoroki's left, Barry delivered a few punches to Todoroki's head in quick succession before jumping back to avoid another blast of ice. Todoroki feels his face, now partially covered in frost from the use of his quirk, before setting up another blast of ice.

* * *

"Barry noticed Todoroki's weakness!" said Midoriya.

"Huh, what do you mean Deku?" asked Uraraka.

"During my match with Todoroki as well as the chariot battle, I noticed that he doesn't use his left side. The fire side of his quirk I mean." Explained Midoriya, "He has personal reasons for not using it, but I got him to put them aside for our match. Whether he does so for the rest of the tournament, I don't know."

* * *

_There's another side to his quirk, but he's not using it._

Barry continued to run circles around Todoroki, who had gotten better at deterring Barry's attacks. Todoroki put up a wall of ice every time Barry attempted to close in on him, but due to this overuse of his right side, Todoroki was having trouble keeping up his defense.

"Hey Todoroki, I know you're not the type for cutsie pie talk, but I have to ask, why not use your fire?" asked Barry, "you look like you're having trouble, you can't keep up this defense forever!"

"I won't use my left side, I won't give in to him!" said Todoroki, glancing off the field and into the audience. Barry followed Todoroki's gaze to find a certain figure, dressed in flames.

_Is that….Endeavor? Todoroki is his son, isn't he?_

"Do you have beef with your father?" Asked Barry, continuing to circle Todoroki.

"It's not like you would understand what he did to me, to my mother!" said Todoroki.

Barry stopped, dead in his tracks.

"What did you say?" said Barry.

"It doesn't matter, what matters is I won't let him win, I'll beat you without using his power!" said Todoroki.

"Stop." Said Barry, "Stop and listen to me, I know you used your fire on Midoriya, I saw it myself."

Todoroki flinched, remembering this lapse in his rule.

"You hate your father, and those are your feelings, and it's not my place to convince you otherwise. But those feelings are holding you back!" said Barry.

Todoroki stopped putting up walls, leaving himself completely vulnerable, but when Barry dived at him, he stopped a couple of feet in front of Todoroki.

"Sometimes the past can hurt, believe me I know. But you have to live in the now, do what you can in the now!" said Barry as Todoroki looked on with a shocked expression, "I'm fighting for someone I love, I don't even know if he can see me right now, but I know he would be proud of who I'm trying to become! So I gotta ask, do you fight for anyone?"

Todoroki stood in silence.

* * *

"The fighting's stopped?" said Mina.

"Dunno why they stopped pummeling each other?" said Kirishima.

Midoriya however, had an idea.

_Barry's talking to Todoroki about Endeavor, just like I did!_

* * *

"Todoroki?" said Barry.

"I'm fighting for myself," answered Todoroki, "And for all the lives I save in the future, I fight to be a great hero, like All-Might!"

Barry smiled, "Than give it your all, like All-Might does!"

Fire erupts from Todoroki's left side as a huge wall of flame shoots out of Todoroki and catches Barry off guard. Barry shields himself with his arms before being blasted back.

_YEOWCH_

Barry stumbled back, burns on his shirt and hands.

"You wanted my best!" said Todoroki, approaching Barry with a burning left side, "You got my best!"

"Heh, couldn't ask for anything more!" said Barry before getting into a sprinters position and charging Todoroki.

* * *

"This is really heating up!" said Mirko.

"Oh yeah, Metaphorically and literally!" said Death Arms.

"It's a battle of wills, of resolve. No strategy now, just a fight for the top!" said Animal-Man.

A hit here, a burst of flame or ice there. The boys weren't just fighting for the top, they were fighting for themselves!

"RAH" Barry screamed while throwing a kick to the side of Todoroki's head, knocking it sideways. Barry had done his best to dodge Todoroki's fire but was licked quite a few times.

"GRRR" Todoroki growled while delivering a burst of flame to Barry's stomach, burning his chest.

"C'mon, is that the best you got!" shouted Barry.

Riled up by the goading, Todoroki roared before unleashing a massive blast of fire, Barry returned with a roar of his own before breaking out into a wild sprint towards Todoroki!

"ENOUGH!" screamed Cementoss, "Time is up, and I don't want this going too far!"

Cementoss formed a wall between the two fighters, Todoroki's fire liked the concrete harmlessly while Barry screeched to a halt. A series of disappointing sighs echoed out as the audience was saddened by the spectacle being cut short.

"WOW, OUR FIRST MATCH THAT RAN OUT THE CLOCK!" announced Present Mic, "WHO WILL BE THE WINNER!"

The wall sunk into the field, revealing the two boys. Barry looked like he had been dropped into a furnace while Todoroki looked as if he was painted black and blue.

*Huff Huff*

Barry panted as he stared Todoroki down again.

_Who'll give in first?_

Todoroki returned the stare for a solid 30 seconds before falling to his knees. Barry's knees buckled, but he refused to go down too. Barry remained standing.

"Damn." Said Todoroki, too exhausted to talk further.

"AND WE HAVE A WINNER, BARRY ALLEN WILL FACE KATSUKI BAKUGO IN THE FINAL ROUND!" announced Present Mic.

* * *

"YEAH BARRY! THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!" screamed Animal-Man, standing up from the couch.

"He got really into it didn't he?" said Mirko.

"Yup." Said Death Arms, "He's not usually this invested, it's probably the alcohol taking!"

Sitting back down, Animal-Man pressed the buzzer and spoke into the microphone, "Bartender, I'd like to order some more drinks! We need them for the finale!"

* * *

"Hey Todoroki."

"Yeah?"

"No hard feelings, right?"

Barry slung Todoroki's arm over his shoulder, walking him off the field.

"Yeah, no hard feelings." Responded Todoroki, "Barry?"

"Yeah?" said Barry,

"You said you knew what it felt like, to have a painful past. What did you mean by that, if you don't mind me asking?" said Todoroki.

Barry looked down, avoiding eye contact, "That's something I'm not comfortable sharing, but don't worry about it."

Todoroki nodded before Barry handed him off to Recovery girl.

"My goodness, you boys are too rough with each other!" said Recovery girl, frowning on both of them.

"Sorry Ma'am, I'll try to get hit less!" said Barry.

"Yes, especially you, you're fast, use that speed sometimes!" said Recovery Girl as the three disappeared into the stadium.

* * *

"Derek!" said Kendo, "You made it!"

Derek James had finally arrived in the audience, though his face was completely bandaged.

"Yup," he groaned, "Present!"

"Dang, Bakugo really messed you up!" said Kirishima, "Are you sure you're even fit to be in the audience!"

"Ok ok, I get it, my face is a little deformed right now, but it's not as bad as you're all making it sound." Exclaimed Derek.

"SEE KIRISHIMA, DEREK'S TENACITY IS PROOF THAT YOUR TIME ON TOP IS FINITE!" said Monoma, "SOON WE SHALL DETHRONE YOU AND TAKE YOUR PLACE AS THE ONE AND ONLY-"

Monoma didn't get to finish that sentence as Derek dumped him into a rift. The rest of the students looked back at Derek.

"What? He can survive in the Rub Al Khali for 15 minutes!" said Derek.

* * *

"THE BOOZE IS HERE!" shouted an overenthusiastic Animal-Man!

"Why is he this into it?" asked Mirko.

"Again, I think he's had a little too much to drink." Said Death Arms, "Normally, he's pretty good at staying under his limits, but today he got pretty pumped up."

"C'mon guys! This is a tournament for the ages!" said Animal-Man.

"Calm down Bernhard!" said Mirko.

"Ooh! First name basis! Though I prefer the name Buddy, you can call me Bernhard friend!" spurted Animal-Man.

"What, no that's not what I meant, I want you to sit your ass down before you hurt yourself." Said Mirko.

"Ah, you're no fun!" said Animal-Man.

"Buddy," said Death Arms before grabbing Buddy by the shoulders, "Please sit down."

"Alright, but only because the tournament's back on the channel!"

* * *

Fire erupted from the corners of the field as Barry walked out onto the field.

_This is it, do or die, the last match._

As Barry walked to the center of the field, Present Mic's hyped the crowd.

"It's finally the last battle of the U.A. High School sports festival! The top of the first years will be decided with this one match!" announced Present Mic as a graphic showing Both Barry and Bakugo facing each other off appeared on the large screen, "The final, so to speak! Barry Allen from the hero course, versus, Katsuki Bakugo, also from the hero course!"

"I'm gonna rip you to pieces," said Bakugo, "I'm going to show the world that I'm on top, that I'm better than Deku, than half and half, then everyone!"

Barry stood his ground, looking Bakugo in the eye, "You're gonna eat those Bakugo!"

The boys readied themselves, getting down into different stances, all while retaining eye contact.

"Now or never!" said Barry.

"NOW….START!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, more chapters ported!


	18. The Dust Settles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sports Festival approaches its end as Barry and Bakugo battle it out for supremacy. Meanwhile, sinister forces begin to form as a new threat looms.

"I'm a little nervous!" said Derek, "Barry is good, but Bakugo's really good. Do you think he has a chance?"

"Yeah, totally!" said Midoriya, "Kacchan has some of the best reflexes, but even then, I think Barry is fast enough to outdo them!"

"Heh, yeah!" said Derek, looking back towards the battle, "Barry's got this!"

* * *

_I don't got this!_

The round starts, and so does Bakugo, rocketing towards Barry. Barry runs towards Bakugo with the purpose of grabbing him and throwing him out of bounds early, but as soon as Barry grabs Bakugo, Bakugo unleashes a flurry of explosions, blowing Barry away from him.

"BABY STUFF!" screamed Bakugo.

Barry gets back up on one knee, looking up to see Bakugo charging him again.

_His reflexes are too fast, I can't hold onto him. I gotta think of something else!_

Barry began to run around Bakugo, feeling the energy build up inside of him, before unleashing a bolt of lightning.

_Dodge that!_

Bakugo threw his hands towards the ground and created an explosion the instant Barry stopped to throw the bolt, effectively launching himself out of the bolt's way.

"WHAT IS THIS! KATSUKI BAKUGO HAS DODGED LIGHTNING!" announced Present Mic.

* * *

"WOAH, DID YOU SEE THAT!" said Mirko.

"Yeah, that Bakugo's is a tough one." Said Death Arms.

"By the way, where's Buddy." Asked Mirko.

"Are you really calling him Buddy?" said Death Arms.

"Sure, anyways where is he?" asked Mirko.

"I think he's in the bathroom, the alcohol is coming up the wrong way." Said Death Arms.

"Eugh," said Mirko.

* * *

_He's fast, too fast!_

Barry was racking his brain trying to find a way to deal with Bakugo's reflexes. Meanwhile, Bakugo wasn't just waiting around, he took every opportunity to strike at Barry, even if Barry managed to dodge those strikes.

"COME BACK HERE BLONDIE!" screamed Bakugo.

_Gotta think of something fast!_

Barry began to rotate his arms, generating a tornado and enveloping Bakugo. Bakugo began to spin, but using his explosions he freed himself from the force of the tornado.

_Crap, not enough pull to keep him in!_

Bakugo raced forward, reaching for Barry.

"GOT YA!" screamed Bakugo, grabbing Barry and hitting him with an explosion to the gut.

"OOFH" Barry grunted as he was blasted back.

_I gotta think smarter, Or maybe just faster!_

Closing his eyes, Barry began to focus. As Bakugo reached out again, Barry's mind slowed, allowing Barry to react far faster. Barry grabbed Bakugo's arm and flipped him over his back, slamming him into the ground.

"HOW THE TABLES TURN!" announced Present Mic.

* * *

"Wow, I didn't expect Barry to have better reflexes than Kacchan!" said Midoriya.

"I know! Barry's getting faster by the day!" said Uraraka.

The students were in awe of the battle when one of them realized something.

"Hey Derek, I think you should bring Monoma back." Said Kendo.

"Oh crap he was out way longer than he was supposed to be!" said Derek, opening a rift.

Monoma spilled out of the rift, tumbling onto his chair before coughing up some sand. He was also a bright red instead of his normal skin color.

"Hey Monoma, are you ok?" asked Derek.

"Take me to the infirmary, I think I'm feeling a little lightheaded." Said Monoma.

"He looks a little, red." Said Tsuyu.

"I think he has heatstroke!" said Jiro.

"Oh crap, I'll take him to the nurse." Said Tetsutetsu.

* * *

"Grr, you think you're better than me blondie?!" asked Bakugo, getting up while feeling his arm.

"I wouldn't say that," said Barry, "I would say that you're not acting like a hero!"

"What?!" erupted Bakugo.

"Being a hero isn't about fame Bakugo, It's about protecting the people next to you, especially if they can't protect themselves." Explained Barry, "Why are you here if you don't want to help others?"

Bakugo didn't even skip a beat, "Because I want to be a hero!"

"What?" said Barry.

"Being a hero, It's all about winning, you never settle for second place, never settle for anything other than the top!" said Bakugo, "and it has to be an indisputable victory, so don't go easy on me!"

Barry was taken aback by the response.

_It's strange, in a weird way, he really wants to be….Heroic. This thirst for victory, it's actually kind of admirable. This must be why Midoriya defends Bakugo even if he treats him like trash!_

Barry was too deep in thought to notice Bakugo race up and throw an explosive punch right in his face. Barry stumbles back, feeling his jaw.

"Ow." Said Barry.

"C'mon, give me everything you got!" said Bakugo.

"You want my all Bakugo," said Barry, getting down into a sprinters position, "You'll get my all!"

Barry began sprinting around Bakugo, going in a perfect circle.

"C'MON, BRING IT ON!" shouted Bakugo.

Barry continued to run in a circle around Bakugo.

"If you wanna try to win, you gotta do more than run in circles!" said Bakugo.

"Actually, that's all I need to do!" said Barry.

As Barry ran in a circle around Bakugo, and soon the wind began to pick up.

"What the hell is this?!" asked Bakugo, "Wait a damn minute?!"

Bakugo seemed to realize what was happening and attempted to rocket himself out of the circle, but Barry threw a punch while running by, sending him back in.

"No can do Bakugo, I like you where you are!" said Barry.

_The problem with catching Bakugo with a tornado was that there wasn't enough power._

Dust began to get picked up as a tornado formed around Bakugo.

_So If I use my whole body, I make a bigger tornado and a bigger pull against Bakugo!_

A massive tornado formed, picking up Bakugo and sending him upward.

"RAAAAH" Bakugo screamed in desperation, trying to right himself as the tornado flipped him over and over again.

_I got him, I GOT HIM!_

"WHAT A PLAY," announced Present Mic, "I'VE NEVER SEEN A MOVE LIKE THAT!"

Bakugo, finally managing to right himself, turns towards the ground and Screams "DIE" before unloading a huge explosion, completely dissipating the tornado and causing massive chunks of concrete to fly into the air.

_And now I don't got him, crap, I gotta get him before he recovers!_

Before Bakugo can fall completely to the ground, Barry begins to run, building up speed before leaping up onto one of the massive concrete chunks. Smiling, Barry leaped between the falling Chunks like a platforming character, before finally leaping at the still falling Bakugo.

"READY FOR MORE!" screamed Bakugo, "GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT BLONDIE!"

"GLADLY!" shouted Barry, raising a fist and feeling the energy charge up inside it.

Bakugo's exploding palm meets Barry's charged fist, creating a massive blinding explosion.

"GAH, I CAN'T SEE!" announced Present Mic.

"You don't have to announce that." Said Aizawa.

* * *

"WHAT WAS THAT?! WHO WON?!" screamed Mirko, clearly invested.

"When the dust settles, we'll see who won." Said Death Arms.

It was then that a red-eyed Animal-Man walked back into the room, "Ugh, what did I miss?"

"The whole final match." Said Mirko.

"Oh damnit, " said Animal-Man as he scratched the back of his head, "I missed something good I imagine, I heard screaming."

"Heh, yeah, only the best damn fight I've seen yet!" said Death Arms.

* * *

"What the hell was that!" said Derek.

"I don't know, but it was TOTALLY MANLY!" shouted Kirishima!

"I've got dust in my mouth." Said Uraraka.

"C'mon Barry, please be the winner!" said Midoriya.

* * *

"Hmm, I can't see anything yet." Said Cementoss, "let the dust clear first."

The dust began to settle, and figures began to reveal themselves. One was out of bounds and one was not. As the dust settled the audience was silent, unsure of the outcome of the fight. Finally, the figures were revealed, Barry Allen lied unconscious outside of the field while Bakugo lay in a Crater inside the field, also unconscious.

"I WOULD CALL IT A TIE, BUT BECAUSE ONE OF THEM IS OUT OF BOUNDS. KATSUKI BAKUGO IS THE WINNER!" announced Present Mic.

The crowd explodes into applause, but the students were silent.

* * *

"Ah, poor kid," said Animal-Man, "that was a nasty stroke of bad luck."

"Shouldn't they do a rematch, it feels a little underwhelming." Said Mirko.

"Nah, they don't have time," Said Death Arms, "the fact that Barry landed outside the field let them end the match on a technicality. Don't worry, I feel a little disappointed too."

Animal-Man sat down on the couch, coughing a little.

"More Alcohol coming up?" asked Mirko.

"HRG, yep!" said Animal-Man.

Mirko hopped away and brought back a trash can, "Here."

Animal-Man nodded before grabbing the trash bag and began to vomit.

"Ugh, nasty stuff," said Death Arms, "Are you gonna be ok?"

Animal-Man picked his head up, "Yeah, I just need a bit of a rest."

Animal-Man tipped his head back on the couch and promptly fell asleep.

Death Arms checked his watch, "Ah crap, can you take him back to his apartment, I gotta run!"

"What, hell no, just drop him off on the way!" Said Mirko.

"I can't I'm heading to the opposite end of town!" said Death arms as he got up and headed out the door, "I'll see you later!"

Mirko looked down at the now unconscious Animal-Man, poking him to no effect.

"Damn," said Mirko, "I don't know where he lives."

* * *

Barry stood on a pedestal signifying his position in second place, it's pretty great all things considered, but Barry didn't exactly feel amazing. Getting bumped down to second place due to random chance wasn't a good feeling.

_If I'd only been a bit faster._

A bit faster.

"Young Allen."

Barry was jogged out of his thoughts when All-Might, who was presenting the medals to the different places. He had already given Todoroki and Derek their bronze medals.

"Deep in thought?! It's unfortunate that the finale had to end on such a nasty note! But don't despair, it's just bad luck!" said All-Might.

"Story of my life." Said Barry under his breath, eliciting a cocked head from All-Might.

"What do you mean?" asked All-Might.

Barry looked down, "I've had a run of bad luck for a while, ever since I was young, I don't wanna talk about it." Said Barry.

All-Might put a silver medal over Barry's head, "Young Allen, maybe you do have bad luck. But I can see into your soul, You have a good heart." said All-Might, still smiling, "You can overcome this, I know you can!"

Barry looked up to All-Might before smiling, "Thanks All-Might!"

All-Might nodded enthusiastically before moving on to Bakugo, who was chained and gagged.

"Now then, young Bakugo!" said All-Might as he removed the gag, "Good job doing what you said you would do during the player pledge!"

"All-Might…" groaned Bakugo, "First place like this IS NOT WORTH ANYTHING!"

Bakugo began to scream, "I WANT AN UNQUESTIONABLE WIN, NOT ONE DECIDED ON BY RANDOM CHANCE! PUT ME UP AGAINST BLONDIE AGAIN RIGHT NOW!"

"Right! In this world where people are constantly being compared publicly, there are not too many who can keep aiming for the top of an unchanging scale." Said All-Might, "Take this medal, think of it as a wound, so you never forget it!"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT IT!" screamed Bakugo.

All-Might attempted to place the medal around Bakugo's neck, but Bakugo arced his head back against the post he was tied too, preventing All-Might from placing the medal properly. Eventually, All-Might just gave up and hung the medal off of Bakugo's mouth.

Turning to address the crowd, All-Might gave his speech.

"Well, they were the winners this time! But listen here!" said All-Might, "Anyone here could have ended up on these podiums. It's just as you saw – competing! Improving each other! And climbing even further! The next generation of heroes is definitely sprouting! So, I have just one more thing to say!"

All-Might shot his fist to the sky and took a deep breath with the Audience, "Everyone say it with me now!"

"THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!" said All-Might.

"PLUS ULTRA!" said the crowd.

Silence engulfed the stadium before the crowd went insane.

"What! It should've been Plus Ultra there All-Might!" shouted the Audience.

"Well, I thought everyone worked hard…." Said All-Might.

Barry though, he couldn't stop laughing. Whether the blunder was intentional or not. It certainly brightened his day.

_I need to stop focusing on the past like I told Todoroki too! These powers are a gift, a second chance. I have to use them well!_

Barry smiled before stepping off the podium.

* * *

A blue convertible car drove along the seaside. It housed a single man, he had a buzz cut haircut and wore flip flops, khaki shorts, and a blue polo shirt. He also wore a strange pair of blue shades, they almost looked like goggles.

The convertible pulled over onto the side of the road, next to an empty cliffside parking lot meant for the view. The man grabbed a small bag from the front seat before getting out and walking to the edge of the cliff. After admiring the view for a while another vehicle, a van, pulled into the parking lot. After parking, a man with a rat's face in seedy clothing, a dirty tank top, and jeans, stepped out of the van and approached the other man with a scroll of paper.

"Are you the guy?" asked the seedy man.

"Can you be more vague please?" deadpanned the man in shades.

"Piss. Off. Are you the one who ordered the bank plans?" asked the seedy man.

"Yeah, give em and buzz off." Said the man in shades, holding out his hand.

The seedy man placed the scroll into the other man's hand, but instead of leaving, he stayed put.

"You want a smooch or something, get out of my space." Said the man in shades.

"Naw, I don't think so." Said the seedy man, "I think that a little money is in order."

"I already paid you." Said the man in shades.

"True, but I could also score some money reporting that the famous Captain Cold was in Japan." Said the seedy man, eliciting a dark look from the man in shades, "You and your band of thieves are practically celebrities, pulling off a string of robberies in the States, Paris, England, I could go on." He continued, "So, how's about you give me a cut, and I won't rat on you!"

The man in shades took a deep breath, reached into his bag, and pulled out a large glowing blue gun, pointing it at the seedy man.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH!" said the seedy man, "I WON'T RAT, I SWEAR!"

The gun, whirred to life as frost began to radiate from the muzzle. Pulling the trigger, The man in shades suddenly pointed downward and created a small ice puddle underneath the seedy man.

"Wha-" said the seedy man before he let out a sigh of relief, "Ok man point made, I won't ask for money or rat on you."

"Sorry rat, but I can't take the risk of letting you go." said the man in shades. "Besides, no one crosses the Rogues, SAM!"

The seedy man looked down to see that he shared his reflection with another man, who was dressed in a strange costume, an orange long sleeved shirt and pants with green gauntlets, shoes, belt, and mask. The mask covered everything but his mouth, with large glass disks for eyes. The man pressed a button on a strange gun, and before he knew it the seedy man fell through the ice puddle. A moment later, the costumed man emerged from the puddle and pressed a button on his gun, just as the seedy man began banging on the puddle, like it was a glass pane separating himself from the outside world.

"HEY, LET ME OUTTA HERE!" screamed the seedy man.

Smiling, the costumed man made his way to the man in shades.

"How was that Snart?" asked the costumed man.

"As good as it's gonna get." Said Snart, who got back into his car.

"Why don't we just off him and be done with it, I don't wanna feed him Batburger for a whole month." Said the costumed man, who's name was apparently Sam.

"You know the rules Scudder, we leave no bodies." Said Snart, "Feed him something else if you want, as long as it's cheap. Now quit complaining and get in the damn car."

Scudder sighed before jumping onto the car, pressing a button on his gun, and jumping into the windshield, phasing into it.

Snart pulled out of the parking lot and continued onward towards along the seaside, toward Hosu city.

"This is it," said Snart, "the big one, the final heist!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of the sports festival! Even a little tease for my Original Arc!


	19. The Flash Is Born!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry's trials in the Sports Festival have solidified his identity, all he needs is a name to fit the bill.

It was a rainy day today, and Barry didn't bring his umbrella.

_Damnit, I forgot to check the forecast!_

Barry raced along the side of the road, hoping to make it to class on time.

_For a person with a speed quirk, I tend to be a little late!_

Barry began to speed up, hoping to make it into class before he got too wet.

_Just a little faster!_

Barry slipped in a puddle, falling on his face and skidding a few feet.

"Ow." Said Barry.

"You mustn't be late Allen!"

Barry turned to see that Iida was running full speed towards the class building, albeit in a raincoat.

"Hey wait up!" said Barry, running after Iida.

* * *

Barry had made it to the locker room, but unlike Iida, he was soaking wet.

_How do I fix this?_

Barry thought for a moment before trying something new. Vibrating his molecules, Barry vibrated to the frequency of water with his clothes, practically phasing the water out of his clothes.

"Hey, would you look at that!" said Barry.

"Yes, most impressive!" said Iida.

Barry smiled before realizing something, "Hey Iida, I gotta ask you something."

"If it's about my brother don't worry, I shouldn't have worried you in the first place!" said Iida, who smiled at Barry.

While Iida's preemptive response caught Barry off guard, Barry decided that he wouldn't push the subject further, "Ok, but if you need to talk to anyone, we're here for you."

Iida nodded before going to class. Barry was about to follow suit when he realized that he had left a large puddle of water in the locker room.

_Someone's going to slip in that._

Using his speed, Barry brought out a mop and quickly took care of the puddle.

_There, better._

* * *

"It's different when they broadcast the matches on TV after all, huh?" said Mina, "So many people talked to me on the way here!"

"Really? Nobody talked to me." Said Barry, "Granted, I was kinda just running by in the rain!"

"Ah don't worry Barry, You'll be famous one day!" said Mina.

"Hey, someday you'll be famous too!" said Barry.

Mina had a disappointed look on her face, "Mediocre Barry, mediocre."

The door too the classroom slid open, revealing a now unbandaged Aizawa.

"Morning!" said Aizawa.

"Good morning." Replied the class.

"Mr. Aizawa, your bandages are gone!" said Tsuyu.

"The old lady went overboard with her treatments." replied Aizawa, "More importantly, we're having a special heroes informatics class today."

The class went dead silent.

_Is it a pop quiz, I'm lucky I studied the previous materials over the weekend!_

"Code Names." Said Aizawa, "You'll be coming up with hero names."

The class erupted in excitement, "We're gonna do something exciting!" they said.

A dirty look from Aizawa silenced the class before he began to explain, "This is related to the pro hero draft picks I mentioned the other day. The drafts begin in earnest in the second and third years, after students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to the pros. In other words, for them to extend offers to first years like you shows that they are interested in your future potential. These offers are often canceled if the interest dies down by graduation."

_So, they're looking for potential bright stars? That makes sense._

"So, it's a matter of effort?" asked Barry, "You give your all to impress the pros, and they might just keep interest in you?"

"Correct," said Aizawa, "and here are the totals for those with offers."

Aizawa activated a projector, revealing that Bakugo, Barry, and Todoroki held a massive lead in offers compared to everyone. Barry came in first, with Bakugo in second and Todoroki in third.

"In other year it's been more spread out," explained Aizawa, "But all eyes were on these three this year."

"Gah, there's such a big difference!" said Kaminari.

"Those pros don't know a good thing when they see one!" said Aoyama.

As the students reacted to the different numbers, Barry felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, you have a huge lead over everyone, even Bakugo even though he won!" said Mina.

"I guess that Bakugo's attitude isn't exactly one the pros want to deal with." Said Barry.

"Those bastards don't know what they're missing!" said an angry Bakugo.

"Keeping those results in mind," said Aizawa, "Whether or not anyone asked for you, you will all be participating in internships with pros."

_Internships?_

"At the USJ, you already got to experience real combat with real villains, but it will still be meaningful training for you to see pros at work firsthand." Said Aizawa.

"So that's why they want us to have hero names!" said Mina, "They want something other than our normal names to call us by!"

"Well, those hero names are all temporary, but if you're not serious about it…." Said Aizawa.

"You'll have hell to pay later!" said a new voice, "Because a lot of hero names used by students become recognized by society, and they end up becoming professional names later!"

It was the R-rated hero Midnight, eliciting a collection of google eyed reactions from the boys of the class, especially Mineta.

Barry was an exception, looking away.

"Ooh, is someone uncomfortable?" teased Mina.

"Yes. Very." Replied Barry.

"Well, that's how it is." Said Aizawa, "So Midnight will be making sure your names are ok. I can't do stuff like that."

_I wonder why?_

"When you give yourself a name, you get a more concrete image of what you want to be like in the future, and you can get closer to it." Explained Aizawa, "This is what it means when they say names and natures due often agree. Like All-Might for example."

The students are handed whiteboards to draw potential names, and Barry began to think over his hero name.

After a few minutes, Midnight spoke up, "Ok, let's start presenting names starting with those who are ready!"

_Oh man, we have to present these?!_

Aoyama stepped up first, "Shining hero: I cannot stop twinkling!" he proclaimed, "which means you can't stop my sparkles!"

_Um, I don't think a sentence works as a name?_

"It'll be easier to use if you take out the I and shorten the cannot to can't." said Midnight.

_Wha-SO IT WORKS?!_

Mina poked Barry's shoulder.

"You don't have to do that every time." Said Barry.

"I'm about to go up!" said Mina, ignoring Barry, "Wish me luck!"

Mina walked up to the front to present her name, "Hero Name: Alien Queen!"

"Are you trying for the thing with acidic blood! I wouldn't if I were you!" said a worried Midnight.

Mina slumped her shoulders before disappointingly walking back to her seat. Once she sat down, she asked Barry, "What did you think of my name?"

"I loved it! I'm a huge fan of Alien! Too bad it's too violent for public use, not to mention the copyright laws." Said Barry.

"Hah, thanks!" said Mina, a small hint of a blush on her face.

Barry looked down at his still empty whiteboard, racking his brain trying to figure out what his hero name should be.

_Speed demon? No, too villainous. Godspeed? No, It sounds like I have a superiority complex._

Barry as struggled to find a name, Midoriya stepped up to the front. Suddenly, the class grew silent.

_What's this about?_

Barry looked up to discover that Midoriya had picked a name nobody expected, Deku.

"Are you really ok with that name?" said Kaminari.

"You might be called that forever though!" said Kirishima.

"Yeah, I didn't like this name until now." Said Midoriya, "But someone changed the meaning of it, and that had a huge impact on me. It made me really happy. This is my hero name!"

Midoriya presented his name for all to see, and it warmed Barry's heart.

_He turned something that hurt him in the past, and used it to give himself a way forward! Maybe that's the key to my name!_

Barry looked back at the whiteboard and looked back into his past.

_But, how can a name compare to something like…mom?_

Barry looked back to his memories with his mother, the happy times they had, specifically, that night in the attic.

_I….know what I should call myself._

Barry wrote the name on the whiteboard and got up to present.

"Ah, Mr. Allen, you're the last one up!" said Midnight.

Getting to the front of the class, Barry held up the whiteboard, presenting his name.

"The Flash?" said Kirishima, "What's that mean?"

"Ah, are you referring to the old comic book character?" said Midnight.

"Oh, um yeah, I am, but it's deeper than that." Said Barry, "I read these comics with my mother, and…I was always inspired by him, the Flash I mean. He never gave up, he never compromised, and he never let anyone down. I know it's cheesy, but his ideas are at the core of a hero. He always saved the day, and…. I wanna be capable of doing the same!"

"Ah, you have a hero like Kirishima. Fictional or not, it's an ideal to strive for. Let us hope you live up to it!" said Midnight.

"Thank you Ma'm!" said Barry.

The class applauded Barry before he sat down.

"Barry," said Mina, "That…Must've been hard."

Barry was quiet for a moment before replying, "It was, but I gotta accept some things can't be changed. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't change the things I can't change."

Mina smiled at Barry before returning to her whiteboard, "Did you like the name Pinky?"

"Yeah, It was really cute." Said Barry.

Mina blushed, but it was hidden by her pink skin.

* * *

"Now that everyone's decided on their hero names, we'll go back to talking about the internships." Said Aizawa, "They will last for a week. As for where you'll have them, those who had offers from pros will be given their own lists, so you can choose from those yourself. Think carefully before you choose."

Barry is handed a stack of papers.

"Jeez, they weren't kidding, you're the most wanted!" said Kirishima.

"Yup, I don't know who to choose!" said Barry, as he began to flip through the pages at super speed.

_Huh?!_

Barry stopped when he saw a familiar name appear.

_Animal-Man has an agency here?_

Barry almost couldn't believe his eyes. At that point, he made up his mind.

"Hey, where are you going?" asked Mina as Barry circled Animal-Man's name.

"Uh, Animal-Man's agency, why do you want to know?" said Barry.

"Heh, no reason." Said Mina, Discreetly circling Animal-Man's agency in her papers as well.

Barry shuffled his papers and smiled.

_This is it, the next step!_

* * *

A bank in Hosu city was much louder than usual, especially due to those currently inhabiting it.

"It's gonna take a lot more than a little heat and rain to rattle me!" screamed Mirko.

"JACK OFF RABBIT" screamed a horribly burnt man in a white fireproof suit with goggles. He was firing a stream of flames from some sort of blaster.

Mirko dodged the man's fire but was quickly assaulted by hail. The hail came from the wand of a flying Hispanic man, dressed in a yellow and black jumpsuit and Trench coat.

"Don't worry Hermana, you won't have to deal with us too much longer!" said the man.

Mirko jumped back, sizing the two men up.

"If you clowns think you have what it takes to take me down, you got another thing coming!" said Mirko.

"Hmm, maybe you should cool off!" said a new voice.

A blast of ice landed at Mirko's feet, freezing them as well as coating the floor in a sheet of ice. Mirko turned to find a man dressed in winter gear and a parka, as well as ski glasses, pointing a strange ice blaster at her.

"These can't hold me!" said Mirko, effortlessly jumping and breaking out of the ice and hopping back, "3 on one, odds are still against you."

"Maybe you need to learn more math." Said a new female voice.

Mirko turned just in time to see a woman dressed in a gold dress and ice skates slide and jump at Mirko, kicking her in the chin and knocking her on her back. Before Mirko could get up, a few colored balls dropped around her, exploding into a strange adhesive and trapping her.

"GRR, Get it off!" said Mirko.

The man in the parka smiled before addressing the rest of the villains, "Rory, Mardom, good work on the intimidation, Lisa, coming in clutch as always." Said The man, "You were late Jesse."

The man in the parka addressed a new villain, a man dressed in silly colors, almost like a clown without makeup.

"Aw don't get your tits in a tizzy, I'm the oldest one here aren't I plus I caught the hero!" said the man, apparently named Jesse, "Besides Snart, Weren't you going to bring the new recruit in?"

"I'll bring him in on a later heist, Besides I think he might have cracked against the number 7 hero." Said Snart.

"Who are you bastards?!" screamed Mirko.

Snart smiled before walking over to Mirko and taking a knee to face her directly.

"I don't know if you've heard of us, but you're gonna damn well remember us from now on." He proclaimed, "We're the Rogues, and we're here to take your damn money."

Snart stood up, "Do you have the money, Jesse?"

"Relax pal, I loaded it all into the mirror you gave me!" said Jesse, "I would appreciate if you gave me a bigger one though."

"Make do Jesse, make do." Said Snart before positioning himself over the ice.

"Scudder, take us out!" said Snart.

"Can do boss!" said a man in the ice.

The Rogues all walked over the ice and were promptly sucked in, leaving a frustrated Mirko in a bank without money.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are enjoying the fic!


	20. Shadows (Halloween Chapter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this spooky interlude chapter, Barry makes his first real friend in Japan and experiences a terrifying encounter by a new villain. The event has been sponsored by none other than John Constantine and his Co-Host, unnamed Author.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a special Halloween chapter, it's not required reading for the story as a whole so skip it if you wish.

"THAT'S LIFE!"

That's Life!

"That's what all the people say! You're riding high in April, shot down in May! But I know I'm gonna change that tune! When I'm back on top, back on top in June!"

A blonde man wearing a trench coat sat in an armchair in front of a fireplace. He was located in a cozy room filled with relics and Memorabilia such as helmets and armor. The man had a certain scruff to his face and was currently smoking his third pack of cigarettes. His name is John Constantine.

"And across from him sat a slightly overweight white boy with no shoes or class. You almost made the mistake of calling me middle-aged too!" said John Constantine.

Hey, knock it off.

"Nah, it's no fun!", said Constantine, "Besides, none of this would exist if your little friend didn't request this."

DCDGojira?

"Yeah, this whole chapter wouldn't exist without him either!" said Constantine.

Why are you pointing this out?

"So that he can have a thank you IN the story now!" said Constantine.

Wow….ok…..Thanks!

"Now, before we get this train wreck on the road so you can stop being a knockoff Grant Morrison, I've got two questions," said Constantine.

Ok?

"One, where is Cain?" said Constantine.

I um, wrote him out of existence!

"Liar, you never wrote him in!" said Constantine.

OK FINE, I never wrote him in!

"Alright, now number 2. Why did we sing Frank Sinatra at the beginning of the chapter?" said Constantine.

Um, I like the song That's Life?

"Eh, I'll accept it." said Constantine, "NOW, Let's tell a scary story!"

* * *

A full moon hung in a clear night sky over the neighborhood as Barry walked down the street.

He wasn't exactly in the Halloween mood.

Even with a snazzy police costume, Barry felt unhappy as he walked down the street.

_3 years, I haven't forgotten about what happened that day for 3 years!_

Barry moped about in the street, not bothering with going to houses.

_Why am I even out here?_

* * *

"C'mon Barry, it's Halloween!" said Forrest, "Just go out there, I'm sure you'll have fun!"

* * *

_Oh yeah, that's why._

Barry had gone out to placate Forrest's worries. Barry loved Forrest, but only really left to make Forrest think he was happy.

_Maybe I should just go back._

"Young man!"

"Huh?"

Barry was approached by a woman wearing a very thin layer of clothing.

It was the R-Rated hero Midnight!

"Sorry to intrude on your Halloween, but I'm looking for a certain someone!" said Midnight, "If you see a someone who looks like a shadow, please find me or another hero right away!"

"Um, ok." Said Barry.

Midnight walked past Barry and down the street, addressing other kids and their parents.

_Looks like a shadow?_

Barry continued down the street, his mopey usual self soon returning.

_Maybe I should-_

"HEY!"

Barry felt a hand slap his back, knocking him to the ground. He whirled around confused to find a boy his age staring down at him. He had dyed red hair and was dressed in a Red Riot costume.

"You're the Mopey kid from school right?!" said the boy.

"Mopey?" said Barry, "That's my defining feature?"

"Um…Yup, Pretty much." Said the boy.

Barry got up and observed the boy's face.

"Do I know you?" asked Barry.

"Wha- It's me, Kirishima from Math class!" said the boy.

"…..Who?" asked Barry.

"Gah, now this is really awkward!" said Kirishima, "Hey, maybe I should ask you a question, what's your favorite candy?"

"Umm." Said Barry, unsure how to answer, "Snickers?"

"Oh, cool!" said Kirishima, "I like M&M's!"

Barry wasn't sure where this was going.

"Hey, your bag is empty!" said Kirishima.

"Huh?" said Barry, looking into his empty bag, "Yeah, why point that out?"

"Cause you need to fill it!" said Kirishima, "C'mon, I know a few spots."

Kirishima grabbed Barry's hand and dragged him along.

"Hey-Wait!" said Barry, but his protests fell on deaf ears.

Kirishima dragged Barry up to the doors of a home and rang the doorbell.

"Oh, hello there!" answered an enthusiastic adult.

"Hi!" said Kirishima, "Trick or treat!"

"Oh, Nice costumes! Let me get you some treats!" said the woman, grabbing a bowl and handing out a handful of candies for both Barry and Kirishima.

"See!" said Kirishima as the two walked away from the house, "Fun right!"

Barry considered protesting, but stopped when he looked into his back, "This lady gave us full candy bars!"

"Wha-Really!" said Kirishima, looking into his own bag in disbelief, "Holy crap you're right!"

"Wanna visit another house?" asked Barry.

"Hell yeah!" said Kirishima.

* * *

"MMph, Snickers is seriously the best!" said Barry with a mouthful of chocolate.

"Naw man!" said Kirishima between chews, "M&M's for the win!"

The boys had taken a break to sample their now full bags of candy.

"We should hit one more house!" said Barry.

"Are you sure?" asked Kirishima, "I'm getting a little tired here."

"C'mon, just one more!" said Barry.

"Alright, fine!" said Kirishima.

The boys set out to find a house they hadn't yet taken candy from and happened an old wooden house. It looked rickety and out of place compared to the rest of the houses on the neighborhood. It had many of its blinds on the windows closed, making it hard to see inside.

"Um, this house looks a little….Unsafe," said Kirishima.

"If you don't wanna go up scaredy-cat, I will!" declared Barry as he walked up the steps.

Barry knocked on the door to no answer. After waiting for a few moments, he knocked again. Nothing again. Barry shrugged and turned to leave when the door creaked open on its own. Barry faced the open doorway, looking inside. He was about to leave again, chalking the door opening up to the owners forgetting to lock the door, when he saw something move inside. He couldn't see clearly, but he swore he saw something inside.

It flitted by again, leaving only a shadow.

Barry's eyes widened as he took a step back in shock.

"Kirishima!" said Barry, "There was a hero in a really tight costume walking the streets, Find her and bring her here!"

"What, why?!" asked Kirishima.

"Please, just do it," said Barry, "And tell her I saw a shadow!"

Kirishima gave Barry a funny look but left to find the hero.

Barry was about to leave when he saw something sticking out into the hallway from one of the interior doorways. It was a human hand.

_I should run, but I have to see if someone is still in there!_

Taking one step at a time, Barry crept into the house. He kept his head on a swivel, looking around as to not get caught by surprise. Reaching the doorway, Barry gazed into the room and witnessed a terrible sight.

A man laid on the ground, a gaping hole in his stomach. Blood and bits of organs lay on his body and on the floor around him. Barry resisted the urge to vomit, it was surprisingly easy to keep it down.

_Why am I not freaking out more? Is it because of…Mom?_

Barry pushed the thoughts out of his head and knelt down.

_Focus Barry, you want to be a C.S.I.? You have to get some experience!_

Barry examined the man, observing his face.

_The mouth is open, he was screaming when he died. He bled out fast enough for the expression to stay on his face post-death._

Barry moved down to his hands.

_No blood under the fingernails, he didn't even have a chance to fight back._

Finally, Barry moved on to the most uncomfortable part. He examined the man's stomach.

_The marks around the hole suggest some sort of teeth. They aren't human that's for sure._

Barry then noticed a blood trail leading into the shadows. He hesitated but eventually forces himself to walk into the shadows.

A human heart laid in a puddle of blood, bite marks were present on its surface.

_Whatever attacked this man took a huge bite out of him! It reached the heart and pulled it out before he could even finish screaming!_

"Ooh, A Guessssssssst!"

A whisper reached Barry's ear, making the hair on his neck rise. Turning around slowly, Barry saw her.

The woman, or he thought it was a woman, was bone thin. Her ligaments were clearly visible and her features were shrouded in shadow.

"Hehehe, It's been a while since I've seen a child brave enough to face Meeeeeeeeee."

Barry couldn't breathe, it felt like his lungs were drained.

"Don't worrrrrrry, I'll make sure to leave twooooooo examples for Midnight to fffffffffind!"

Barry's legs suddenly found the strength to move, and he attempted to bolt past the woman. However, as he reached the doorway, a hand reached out from under some furniture and grabbed Barry by the foot.

"AAAAAAAGH!" screamed Barry.

"Please don't gooooooooo, I haven't seen the inside of a child before!"

"Get away, GET AWAY!" screamed Barry.

Something seemed to emerge from the shadow of the doorway as a large-toothed beast stalked towards Barry.

_Oh god oh god OH GOD!_

Barry tried to back away but was still held down. Then he noticed a pair of blinds.

_Wait, if they're shadows, then?_

Barry desperately reached out, but the hand that held him kept him restrained.

_C'mon._

Barry stretched closer to the blinds.

_C'MON!_

Barry grabbed the blinds and tore them open, causing both the hand holding him and the beast to disappear.

Taking his chance, Barry wrestled the window open and jumped out.

Running into the woods behind the house, Barry ran until he had to catch his breath.

*Huff* *Huff*

"Haaaaaa, I thought I lost you!"

_No!_

Barry turned to see that the woman had followed him through the woods.

"S-Stay back!" screamed Barry.

"Whyyyyyyy, I want to eat your liver!"

Barry, tired and with his back against a tree, simply slid down to a sitting position and covered his face, waiting for the end.

"Hahaha-Wha-AAAAAGH!"

The screams cause a confused Barry too uncover his face, and what he saw made him stare in awe.

The woman was elevated off the ground, lifted by a massive sprawl of wood. It was as if a tree had instantaneously grown out of the earth and wrapped itself around the woman. The wood clung so tightly that the woman had fallen unconscious.

Barry slowly got to his feet and made his way up to the woman.

_What did this?_

Turning around, Barry came face to face with something straight out of a horror novel.

It was a humanoid beast, made up of vines and leaves. It had two red glowing eyes and a strangely human mouth and nose.

Barry could only stare in silence. For several moments, he was in awe.

"Um….T-Thank you?" said Barry.

The beast simply stared back at him, only nodding, before it simply sunk into the earth.

"KID, HEY KID!"

Barry turned to find that the hero Midnight had arrived on the scene.

"Woah, you really did a number on her!" said Midnight.

"Wait, N-No! I'm quirkless!" said Barry.

"Then who did it?" said Midnight.

"I saw it, it sunk into the ground!" said Barry.

"The ground?" said Midnight, nervously examining the dirt, "Ok kid, run along, I gotta get this lady to a prison cell."

"Wait!" said Barry, "Who is this lady?!"

Midnight was silent for a moment before answering, "This woman is Miss Shadow, a recently escaped serial killer. I put her away a few years ago, so I assume she's trying to get my attention."

"Oh." Said Barry, "That really sucks that she escaped, she got someone inside the house."

"Yeah, I already called the police in to take care of that." Said Midnight, "Now run along, a kid shouldn't get involved in this stuff!"

Barry nodded and ran back to the neighborhood, leaving Midnight with the captured Villain.

* * *

"HOLY CRAP MAN I WAS SO WORRIED!" screamed Kirishima as he hugged Barry.

"Jeez man I'm fine!" said Barry, "A little shaken up though, I don't wanna trick or treat anymore."

"I agree 100%, I don't like the vibe out here anymore!" said Kirishima.

* * *

The two boys walked up the street, stopping at Kirishima's house.

As Kirishima went inside, he turned back and said, "Hey man, you wanna go to the arcade tomorrow?"

Barry thought for a moment but his answer came pretty quickly, "Yeah man, meet you at 10?"

"You betcha!" said Kirishima, closing the door.

Barry began to walk home with a smile was on his face.

_I think I made my first friend in 3 years!_

However, as the elation faded, he was reminded of the horrors he had witnessed.

Barry remembered the corpse, the shadow monsters, and the green monster.

Barry looked into the woods, and he could swear he saw a pair of red eyes staring back at him.

* * *

"You actually call that a Halloween chapter?!" said Constantine.

I mean, yeah!

"I can't believe you wrote this in one bloody night!" said Constantine.

What's wrong with that?

"Well for one, you write with bad posture, you've got signs of carpal tunneling for Christ's sake!" said Constantine, "And secondly, the people wanted Batman, not Swamp Thing!"

But it was a nice surprise!

"Piss off with your surprises!" said Constantine as he opened another pack of cigarettes, "Hey, maybe you could include me in another Fanfic, think about it, Justice League Dark x Fairy Tail."

I like that idea, but I think I have enough on the writing block!

"Lazy dickhead!" said Constantine, "Besides, doesn't accept the creepy font you had for the shadow womans words."

Huh? OH GODDAMNIT!

"HAHAHAHAAH, you stupid F***ing Yankee!" said Constantine, before his eyes widened, "Did you just censor me you ***** ***** ****"

OK, FOLKS, THAT'S ALL HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN BYE!


	21. Work Study: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The work-study begins! Barry and Mina begin their journey to Fukuoka to train under Animal-Man.

"Barry!" shouted Forrest, "Are you ready yet?!"

Barry's eyes shot open, he quickly glanced at his alarm clock, he was late.

"Uh um, GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES!" shouted Barry.

"We don't have long!" shouted Forrest, "Get down here now!"

_Crap crap crap!_

Barry leapt out of bed and packed his suitcase at super speed. He checked the case quickly before closing it.

_I didn't get to fold anything, but it's fine!_

"Barry!" said Forrest, opening the door, "Are you ready?"

"Yup!" said Barry with a smile.

"Are you sure?" asked Forrest, "I don't think anyone wants to see your pajamas."

Barry looked down at himself, he had forgotten to get dressed.

_Crud!_

* * *

"You all have your costumes, right?" said Aizawa, "Remember, you aren't allowed to wear them in public."

"Yessir!" said Mina with enthusiasm.

"Speak Clearly! It's yes sir, Ashido." Said Aizawa.

"Yes sir…" said Mina, this time far less enthusiastically.

"Hey!" said Kirishima, "Where's Barry?"

"OVER HERE!" shouted Barry as he ran to the class, "Sorry for being late Aizawa-Sir!"

Barry had arrived late to the train station.

"It's fine but be more prompt next time!" said Aizawa, "Make sure you mind your manners with the heroes at your internships! Off with you now!"

"Yes Sir!" erupted the class.

* * *

Barry smiled, he had barely made it.

_Now to find the right train!_

Barry approached a ticket salesman, "Hi! Do you mind showing me where the train to Fukuoka is?"

"Line 3 would be what you're looking for!" said the ticket salesman.

"Thanks!" said Barry.

Barry walked 10 steps away before realizing something problematic, He didn't know where line 3 was.

_Should I go back and ask the ticket salesman? No that would be awkward. Maybe I should ask somebody else?_

"Hey Barry!"

A familiar tap on the shoulder told Barry exactly who that voice belonged too.

"Hey Mina!" said Barry, "What are you doing here?"

Mina smiled, "I'm going to Animal-Man's agency!"

"Really?! That's great!" said Barry, "He's a smaller hero, but he's a fantastic one as well!"

"I know, why do you think I signed up with him!" said Mina.

"Heh, I signed up with him too, but unfortunately I can't find the train that takes me to his agency in Fukuoka!" said Barry.

Mina put her hand under her chin, "Hmm, do you know what line it is?"

"Yeah, Line 3." Said Barry.

"Great, I know where that is!" said Mina, "Here, I'll take you there!"

Mina quickly took Barry's hand and pulled him along.

"Hey, wait!" said Barry, surprised by the sudden action.

_Huh, her hand is soft. Then again, that hand also produces highly corrosive acid._

Barry seemed lost in thought.

Mina wasn't much different.

_He hasn't protested as much as I expected, I thought he would be more awkward. Heck, I thought this whole thing would be more awkward._

"We're almost there!" said Mina.

* * *

"Wow, that was fast!" said Barry.

Barry and Mina arrived in front of a stopped train.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Mina as she boarded the train.

"Huh, wait!" said Barry, following her on board, "Don't go so fast!"

Barry followed Mina into a specific compartment of the train, with seats facing each other.

"It's ironic for you to say that Barry!" said Mina, taking a seat.

"Hah, yeah, I guess it is." Said Barry, also taking a seat.

The train jolted, startling Barry and Mina, before beginning to move along the track out of the station. The route took them through the initial cityscape.

"Wow, it's kinda filthy in the back areas of the city!" said Mina with a strange enthusiasm.

Barry wasn't sure how to respond at first, but ended up laughing, "Hahaha, I didn't expect that kind of response."

* * *

The Train had moved out of the city and into the wilderness, moving past trees so fast that they were blurs. Barry wasn't looking out the window though, he was reading a book.

"Whatcha reading?" asked Mina.

"Physics textbook." Said Barry.

"Boooring!" sighed Mina.

"C'mon, it's not that bad." Said Barry, "Besides, it helps me get a better understanding of my quirk!"

"How?" asked Mina, "By studying the physics of moving fast?"

"Actually," replied Barry, "It helps understand how my quirk breaks the physics of moving fast."

"Huh?" said Mina, confused.

"Oh, well see," said Barry, "Moving as fast as I do, you tend to encounter wind resistance right? Well at my speeds, the wind resistance would put too much force on my bones, they'd probably break. And yet, I'm fine despite moving at really high speeds. You get what I'm saying?"

Mina had a blank look on her face.

"Here, let me show you." Said Barry, swapping his seat for the one next to Mina and leaning on her to show her the physics book.

Barry's close proximity was surprising to Mina. As Barry absentmindedly began to explain physics, Mina's brain drifted to other things.

_He's too close! And he…he smells kinda nice!_

"Um, Barry?" said Mina.

"Yeah?" said Barry.

"You're too close!" said Mina.

Barry was silent for a moment before going beet red.

"oh god sorry," said Barry, practically warping back to his original seat at super speed, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"No no, it was fine." Said Mina, "You were just a little to close."

Barry smiled, but the awkwardness has already settled in. Mina looked down, unable to think of a topic.

Than she thought of something, a topic she wanted to know more about. But it might be too personal.

"Barry?" said Mina.

"Yeah?" said Barry.

"Is it ok if we talk about…..your dad?" said Mina.

Barry looked down, avoiding Mina's gaze, "Why? It's none of your business."

"I know…. But I'm your friend, and I want to help you any way I can." Said Mina, "You're not the person to leave people behind, I know you have a plan. Please, tell me."

Barry looked out the window into the forest.

"The day I turned 10, I found my mother in our house, she bled to death." Explained Barry, "The police arrested and convicted my father, but ultimately they were just trying to close the case. Evidence against him was flimsy at best, but there was no one else to blame."

Mina looked down at the floor, "That's awful."

"I know my dad, he didn't do it," said Barry, "the problem is, it's a 5-year-old case at this point, considered cold. I was going to become a CSI, reopen the case, but then I got my…." Barry paused for a moment, "My quirk."

"Around the time you got struck by lightning?" said Mina.

"Yeah, but I have to confess," said Barry, "I don't think my quirk suddenly manifested."

"Huh?" said Mina, surprised, "What do you mean your quirk didn't suddenly manifest?"

"I'm saying that I'm still quirkless," said Barry, "This speed, it's something else, something to do with the lightning."

Mina sat there for a moment, "You mean that you think the lightning gave you those powers."

"Yeah, precisely," said Barry, "I was quirkless before, but the way these powers work, It's different from most quirks."

"How?" asked Mina.

"I was talking about physics before, remember?" said Barry, "Most quirks involving speed or strength are only usable because the body has time to grow the proper muscles to handle those quirks. I wasn't born ready for running at those speeds, I should be burning the skin of my legs when I run, but I'm fine."

"Do you know the specifics?" asked Mina,

"No.," said Barry, "But I took some no-"

Before Barry could finish, the train began to stop abruptly, causing Mina to fly into Barry.

"Agh!" said Mina.

"AH!" said Barry.

Using his speed, Barry jumped out of his seat and caught Mina.

"Are you ok?!" said Barry.

"Umm, yeah, can you put me down?" said Mina.

Barry blushed, "Yup!"

Barry quickly puts Mina down on her own feet and looked out the window.

"Is that a…Villain?!" said Barry, quickly moving out of the compartment and to an exit.

"Barry, wait!" said Mina.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

A villain dressed in a green and lime striped costume and dark green domino mask was addressing a crowd of confused onlookers, mostly train passengers who had left the train to investigate the commotion. Barry and Mina made their way to the front of the crowd.

"I'm only going to say this once, this is a robbery!" said the villain, "hand over your valuables, or face the wrath of…THE TOP!"

The crowd was silent for a few moments before an odd conversation began.

"Is this a joke?" asked one passenger.

"A publicity stunt maybe?" said another passenger.

"The Top?" said Mina, "What kind of name is that?"

"I think he's referring to a dreidel, but I can't be sure." Said Barry.

The Top stared down into the crowd, becoming frustrated.

"GRR, What's the big deal, I don't see any valuables being thrown my way!" said the Top, "Oh, I see, you need a demonstration! Let me give you one!"

The Top extended his arms and began to spin, quickly forming a small tornado.

"Yep, definitely a dreidel." Said Barry.

"What do we do, we don't have our licenses!" said Mina.

Barry doesn't respond, instead, he stares into the sky, spotting a flying figure.

"I don't think we'll have to do anything!" said Barry.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Mina.

The Top finishes his display, "Now that that's done, hand over your-"

The Top is interrupted when a certain hero flies into him from behind, knocking him onto the ground.

"OOFH" grunted the Top as he was slammed face-first into the dirt.

"Now Now, I haven't seen you around before, but I don't think I'll see you again after this!" said Animal-Man.

Mina's eyes widened, "Is that?"

"Yep, that's Animal-Man." Said Barry.

The Top snarled, "Grrr, you're gonna regret this you nobody!"

Animal-Man responded by punching the Top in the face, knocking him out. He promptly checks any pockets that the Top has, pulling out several metal dreidels.

"Hmm, explosive dreidels. This guy was more dangerous than I thought, good thing I took him out early!" said Animal-Man.

"Animal-Man!" said Barry, approaching the hero.

"Ah, Barry!" said Animal-Man, "I should have known you were on the train today!"

Animal-Man smiled, taking Barry's hand and shaking it, "There was supposed to be one more!"

"Here!" said an enthusiastic Mina, "Reporting for duty Animal-Man!"

"You must be Ashido!" said Animal-Man, "Nice to meet you, and you both can call me Buddy, makes things simpler."

"Ok Buddy!" said Mina.

"Ah crap," said Barry, looking at his phone, "The train's been stopped for repairs too, it looks like the Top damaged a wheel or something, we're gonna be here a while Mina."

"Ah man, I was looking forward to doing some cool hero stuff today!" said Mina.

Animal-Man put his hand under his chin in thought before thinking of something.

"Kids, grab your bags and bring them here." Said Animal-Man.

"Huh, why?" asked Barry.

"Just do it!" said Animal-Man, smiling, "Trust me!"

* * *

Mina and Barry brought their bags to Animal-Man and began to set them down.

"Don't put them down, hold onto them tight!" said Animal-Man, stepping behind both Mina and Barry.

"Um, why?" asked Mina.

"I don't want them to fall!" said Animal-Man, grabbing the back of both Mina and Barry's shirts.

"Fall hOWWWWWW?!" said Barry as Animal-Man lifted both of them off the ground.

"AAAAGH!" screamed Mina, "WE'RE REALLY HIGH UP!"

"Don't worry, we'll be at my agency in 15 minutes!" said Animal-Man, "If it gets too intense, just close your eyes."

* * *

"Blegh!"

Mina vomited into a trash can outside Animal-Man's small agency. It was a small building, barely the size of a Karate Dojo.

"C'mon in!" said Animal-Man, "Make yourselves comfortable."

Mina and Barry entered the Agency and were greeted by a small entrance hallway with three doors, one on each side and one at the end..

"We only have three rooms right now," said Animal-Man, "My office is at the end of the hall, the room to our right is an office unit for future sidekicks and employees, and the room to our left is a dojo for practice and training purposes, let's go in there for now."

Entering the room, Barry and Mina were greeted by a barren room, only a wooden floor and concrete walls were present.

"It's very….Minimalistic!" said Barry.

"It's kind of empty." Said Mina.

Animal-Man rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I didn't really furnish this place after moving here. I'm mostly doing hero work!"

The door opened behind the group, and a blonde woman wielding a staff and rocking a star-spangled costume reminiscent of the American Flag.

"Hey boss, you called me in?" said the girl.

"Yes Courtney, meet our Work-Study recipients!" said Animal-Man.

The girl stepped forward and shook both Barry and Mina's hands.

"Hi, my name is Ashido!" said Mina.

"I'm Barry!" said Barry.

"Nice to meet both of you!" said the girl.

"Ashido, Barry, this is Courtney Whitmore," said Animal-Man, "AKA Stargirl. She's my sidekick and she'll be your main guide for the duration of your stay!"

"Cool!" said Barry, "What's it like being Animal-Man's sidekick!"

"He tends to take the bad guys down before I can do anything." Said Stargirl blankly.

"Well Courtney, you'll be doing something today!" said Animal-Man, "Barry, put on your costume, you too Ashido!"

The Duo nodded and quickly left to put on their costumes.

* * *

"Ok, we're ready!" said Barry, now clad in his costume.

"Yeah, what do we get to do!" said Mina.

"Well…" said Animal-Man, "You're going to fight!"

"Huh?" said Barry, "Who are we fighting?"

"Me!" said Stargirl.

Mina and Barry looked at each other.

"Listen, the sports festival gave me a taste of your power." Said Animal-Man, "However, I didn't get to see it up close! That's why I'm having you two spar with Courtney. Besides, she could use the practice."

"Never has a statement been truer." Said Stargirl, holding up her staff.

"So….When do we start?" asked Mina.

"NOW!" said Animal-Man, "123 GO! START!"

Star Girl lunged towards the duo, beginning the battle!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The OC arc begins!


	22. Work Study: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A test against Star-Girl reveals Mina and Barry's biggest weaknesses as other students react to their work studies.

"This isn't what I signed up for."

"Preaching to the choir man!"

Derek James was dressed in his hero costume, a skin tight spandex suit with various blue and light blue symbols on it. But he wasn't doing hero work.

He was dusting a table.

"When I signed up for Mt. Lady, I expected a lot of action, not to become her personal maid." Said Derek.

"You guys should know that sometimes there are long pauses between attacks," said Mt. Lady, munching on a potato chip, "Sometimes you just need to find other things to do."

"Cleaning your apartment is not one of those things," whispered Derek under his breath, "You're just lazy!"

"Man, I was hoping to get some good angles on Mt. Lady!" said Mineta.

Derek gave Mineta, who was currently vacuuming the floors, a nasty look.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" said Derek.

"I have urges! I have needs! Everyone has needs!" said Mineta, "Why do I get scrutinized so much for having something everyone else has!"

"Mineta, you go way overboard when it comes to anything suggestive or sexual," said Derek, "I get it, everyone's got a pervy side, but you scream about it blatantly as if that's all you are!"

"Hmm," said Mineta, "So you have a pervy side too?"

Derek went red as a tomato, "No!"

"But you just sai-"

Derek opens a small rift leading to the inside of the vacuum cleaner, spewing dust all over Mineta.

*Cough* *gag*

"HEY, you kids are supposed to be cleaning, not making a bigger mess!" said Mt. Lady.

"Sorry!" said Derek, returning to his post.

_I bet Barry's having a lot of fun right now!_

* * *

Barry was having a bad time.

Barry's body slammed into the wall of the training dojo before falling front first to the floor

"Lasers, suck." said Barry.

Mina slid around on her acid, looking for an opening to strike Stargirl.

"Got ya!" shouted Mina, leaping at Stargirl.

Stargirl swings her staff, striking Mina in the gut, before flipping her over and onto her back.

"Owww." Groaned Mina.

Barry got up, gets into a sprinter's stance, and quickly begins to run around Stargirl.

"You aren't going to get me if you just run around me!" said Stargirl.

_She has to have a weakness, but what is it?_

Mina got back up on her feet, determined, before running towards and sliding at Stargirl from her back.

"YAAAH!" shouted Mina.

Stargirl's eyes widened, and almost immediately, Stargirl flew upwards, hovering above Mina as she slides by.

"YOU CAN FLY?!" shouted Mina.

"Yep" said Stargirl, bringing the staff down onto Mina's head and knocking her to the floor.

Barry continued to run circles around Stargirl, looking for an opening

_It looks like her quirk has something to do with that staff! If I can separate her from the staff, she'll be at a disadvantage._

While Barry was deep in thought, Stargirl took the opportunity to fly back to the ground, slamming the staff into the ground and causing an energy shockwave.

"WHA-" said Barry before being knocked on his feet.

Stargirl smirked before getting up, "You're fast, but you're spending to long looking for an opening, you have to make your own!"

"LIKE NOW!" screamed Mina, jumping Stargirl from behind.

"HUH!" said Stargirl, caught off guard.

Mina grabs Stargirl from behind, wrestling the staff from her hands and knocking it away before putting her in a headlock.

"Quick Barry, take her down!" shouted Mina.

Barry nodded, quickly getting up and running at Stargirl, preparing a fist.

Stargirl responded by throwing her foot up and kicking Barry in the throat.

"GAGK!" gagged Barry, getting knocked onto his feet.

"BARRY!" shouted Mina, before Stargirl flipped her over her back, tossing her directly onto Barry.

"Oof!" groaned Mina.

"Alright guys, I think that's enough." Said Animal-Man, "Stellar work Courtney, they almost got you at the end!"

"Hah, I was always in control!" said Stargirl.

"Um, Barry, are you ok?" asked Mina.

Barry groaned, holding his throat. His eyes then widened with the realization the Mina was practically sitting on top of him.

"Off!" was all he could manage.

Mina's eyes widened, her cheeks growing red before she quickly stood up and took a few steps back, allowing Barry to get up to his feet.

"Right!" said Animal-Man, clasping his hands together, "Can anyone tell me what went wrong during the sparring match?"

"It wasn't fair!" cried Mina, "She's a pro hero!"

"True, but there were two of you, and Courtney isn't very experienced, no offense." Said Animal-Man.

"None taken." Said Stargirl.

"Anyway, Let me break it down for you! Courtney is quirkless, that much you figured out, her abilities come from her staff." explained Animal-Man, "This also means that without the staff, she's just a normal person, or so you thought!"

"I've trained in hand to hand combat in order to shore up my weaknesses, in case I ever lose my staff!" continued Stargirl, "When you guys caught me off guard, my training saved me! It's a textbook reason for why you should shore up you're weaknesses!"

"Thank you Stargirl!" said Animal-Man, "Now, lemme give you two some pointers! Ashido, you're bold, you go straight in immediately, sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes you just need to rush without thinking, but most of the time, you will want to think about a situation strategically! Barry, you have the opposite problem. You spend so much time looking for an opening that the enemy usually has a chance to retaliate, they won't always wait for you to plan your next move! If you can't find an opening, try and make one!"

"Yes Sir!" said the student duo!

"Great, that was all for today!" said Animal-Man, "Barry, you'll be staying at my apartment, Ashido is with Courtney! Meet us outside!"

Stargirl and Animal-Man stepped outside, leaving Mina and Barry in the dojo.

"Ugh," rasped Barry, "She didn't hold back!"

"Yeah!" said Mina, "She was too rough if you ask me!"

"Maybe, but it proves we still have a lot to learn!" said Barry, picking up his suitcase, "I'll see you tomorrow Mina!"

"See you tomorrow Barry!" said Mina, grabbing her suitcase!

* * *

"There!" said Derek, "We're done!"

Mt. Lady walked around the apartment, inspecting its contents with a critical eye.

"Wow!" said Mt. Lady, "You guys are pretty great cleaners!"

An exhausted Mineta and Derek sighed in relief.

"Oh thank god, I thought that this would be what we're doing all week long!" said Derek.

"Actually!" said Mt. Lady, "The office needs this kind of shine up, and my second apartment too!"

"NOOOOOOOO" shouted Mineta.

"C'mon, this isn't what we signed up for!" said Derek.

"Like it or not guys, I'm in a state of downtime, and it's gonna take nothing short of a massive team up to shift tha-"

Mt. Lady's phone rang, interrupting her.

"Let me take this!" said Mt. Lady, stepping out onto her terrace.

Derek sighed, feeling hopeless.

"DEREK!"

Derek turned to find Mineta wearing a pair of panties on his head.

"Check it out man!" said Mineta, waving his head side to side.

"DUDE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" shouted Derek.

"I'm exercising my right for entertainment!" said Mineta.

"And when she comes back inside and sees you with a pair of her underwear on her head?" said Derek.

Mineta's face was blank for a moment before growing pale.

"AAAAGH!" screamed Mineta, "This stuff sticks for at least 24 hours! I'm so dead!"

"Shhhhhh!" said Derek, "Just take the whole thing off your head with the balls or something!"

"It's really painful though!" said Mineta.

"Stop Complaining and just do it!" shouted Derek.

The terrace door opened, signaling Mt. Lady's return. Thinking Quick, Derek opened a rift and grabbed Mineta, throwing him through.

"I'm back!" said Mt. Lady, "Huh? Where did the little grape boy go?"

"He um, went to the bathroom!" said Derek.

"I see," said Mt. Lady. "In that case, when he comes back, tell him it's his and your lucky day. I've been called for a team-up by Mirko's agency, something about a villain team gone wild."

Derek smiled, the emotions running loose.

"YES! ACTUAL HERO WORK!" shouted Derek!

"Heh, glad you're excited, I'm going to go out and get some lunch! Want anything?" asked Mt. Lady.

"Um, no I'm good." Said Derek, still smiling.

Mt. lady nodded before leaving the apartment. Derek took the opportunity to open a rift.

"Mineta?" asked Derek.

Mineta spilled out of the rift, covered in branches and leaves.

"I wanna die." Said Mineta, "Never send me there again!"

* * *

"Make yourself at home Barry!" said Animal-Man, now dressed in a casual t-shirt and jeans, "I'm making us Spaghetti."

Barry set down his suitcase, exhausted. The apartment was small, only a few rooms large, with a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom.

"I'm gonna take a shower, is that ok?" asked Barry.

"All good with me!" said Animal-Man, "It's down the hall to the right. You'll have to sleep on the couch, unfortunately."

"Oh no, it's ok." Said Barry, "Couch surfing is fun!"

Barry entered the bathroom, turning on the faucet. Animal-Man turned on the stove, placing a pot full of water on top. As he brought out the spaghetti, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Hello?" asked Animal-Man, answering the phone.

"Hi, this is Tomo Ryoma from the agency of Mirko! Is this the office of Animal-Man?" asked a male voice on the phone.

"Um, yes, this is Buddy Baker, the Animal-Man. How are you doing!" responded Animal-Man.

"Very good sir, and I hope you are having a great day as well!" said Ryoma, "I'm calling with an inquiry for a team-up with Mirko!"

"That's odd, Mirko isn't one to work with other heroes." Said Animal-Man.

"No, she isn't." said Ryoma, "But after a recent villain group showed up, they utterly defeated her! She doesn't want help, but I've consulted with the government. They believe that a team should be formed to deal with this!"

"What?" said Animal-Man, "Mirko got beaten? She's a major hero with a lot of skill!"

"True, but this particular group of villains is crafty." Said Ryoma, "She was mostly unharmed, but they escaped with a large sum of money!"

Animal-Man stood in silence, Mirko lost?!

"Who else have you contacted?" asked Animal-Man.

"As of right now, they only want 4 heroes on the job. Mirko herself will be there, and I've already contacted Mt. Lady!" said Ryoma, "Your agency isn't very big, so I thought that taking down this villain group would help boost your popularity!"

Animal-Man considered his options.

"I'll do it, this villain group sounds like trouble if they took down the number 7 hero!" said Animal-Man, "Just one question, we have work-study students over, what should we do with them?"

"Bring them along!" said Ryoma, "Mt. Lady has work-study students over as well! This will be a good opportunity for them to learn!"

"Are you sure, isn't it a little dangerous?" asked Animal-Man, "Besides, who are we dealing with?"

"If you do your jobs right, it won't be dangerous at all!" said Ryoma, "The group seems to call themselves the Rogues, but you'll get a full briefing tomorrow!"

"Wait," said Animal-Man, "We're starting tomorrow?"

"Yes, we want to catch them quick!" said Ryoma, "We believe we have their next attack! The details will be revealed at the briefing!"

Animal-Man took a deep breath.

"Alright, Courtney and I will be there tomorrow!"

"Good, thank you for your cooperation, now if you'll excuse me I have other matters to attend to." Said Ryoma, hanging up.

Animal-Man put his phone back into his pocket, turned back to the stove, and dumped spaghetti into the boiling water.

_Ashido and Allen, you guys are in for a big surprise!_

* * *

"This is the guy?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong Mick, is that he looks like an idiot!"

Leonard Snart and Mick Rory stood in a dark room devoid of anything besides a table and two seats. Snart sat in one chair, while across the table sat another man, he wore a blank white shirt, jeans, boots, and goggles. His body was thin, yet also muscular, and he had dyed red hair.

"I'm right here asshole." Said the man.

"He's rude too!" said Snart, "Where did you get this guy Mick?"

"I met him in a bar, he's a good kid, he can work for us." Said Rory.

"Maybe, what can you do joe?" asked Snart.

"The name is Jin!" said the man, "Jin Takahashi, and I'm a prodigy engineer."

"Ok, JIN." Said Snart, "You want to join the Rogues, but do you know what that means?"

"It means we break banks, steal money." Replied Jin.

"Wrong." Said Snart, "Being a Rogue means being part of a family, and we don't just let anyone in. A Rogue needs to be true to his fellow Rogue, and never betray their trust."

"Hey, I didn't come here to be lectured and insulted, I came here to make some damn money!" shouted Jin, standing up, "What's it gonna take huh! What do I gotta do to get in with you!"

Snart stands up, pulling out his freeze gun and pointing it directly at Jin's head.

"Do you know how I made this gun so powerful?" asked Snart.

"You built it from the ground up!" said Jin, "Made improvements over the years. Just like I would do."

"Wrong again!" said Snart, "See, I stole this gun."

Jin stared at Snart, his eyes widening behind his goggles.

"I stole this gun, and you know what I did," said Snart, "I took it apart, piece by piece, learned it's ins and outs. I familiarized myself with every bit of this gun, learned what every single piece did. And when I was done, I used that knowledge to make it a better weapon."

Snart put his finger on the trigger.

"You're not Rogues material, no matter how hungry for fame or money you are," said Snart, "Forget the bar, Mick might as well have pulled you off the sidewalk on a random day of the week."

"No," said Jin, "You're wrong."

Snart cracked a smirk, "And what makes you so sure of that?"

"Because yeah, I'm hungry, hungry for fame, for money, for validation." Said Jin, "But most importantly, I'm hungry for a place to test myself and my inventions!"

Snart raised his eyebrow.

"I was like you, I got into engineering because I took stuff apart and put it back together," said Jin, "When I got a new playset, I would always take it to pieces, then build it again, just to learn it's ins and outs!"

Snart's finger left the trigger of his gun.

"I took this curiosity to school, but my talents weren't appreciated, hell they were frowned upon!" said Jin, "That's why I wanna join the Rogues. So I have the freedom to make what I want, and that's especially beneficial if it helps you. And unlike school, you guys will let me take risks!"

Snart put the gun down on the table, placing both hands on the table as well.

"Make it through rogues initiation, and you're in." said Snart, cracking a smile.

Jin nodded, pushing his seat in and leaving the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Original arc is kicking off, I hope you like it!


	23. Rise Of The Rogues: The Briefing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A briefing session fills the heroes in on who they're dealing with as the Rogues make their next move!

Barry's eyes glazed open slowly, a yawn escaping from his mouth. He stretched his arms and legs out while lying on the couch before sitting up, letting out another yawn in the process. It took Barry a second to realize something, something that made him smile.

_I haven't had a bad dream in a while!_

"Barry!" said Buddy (Animal-Man), "You sleep well?"

"Yup!" said Barry, stretching his arms again, "Your couch is really comfy!"

"Thanks," said Buddy, "Sorry, not much of a cook, cereal will have to do."

"Oh, it's fine!" said Barry, "Thanks for the food!"

Barry and Buddy sat themselves down at a small wooden table, complete with two small wooden seats. Buddy brought some milk, cereal, and bowls/spoons, and soon enough the two were eating breakfast.

"Again, I'm sorry I couldn't provide a more filling breakfast." Said Buddy.

"No, really, it's all good!" beamed Barry.

Buddy nodded his head before realizing something, "Oh! Barry, I've got something special planned today!"

Barry's ears perked up, "Really? What is it? Special Training? A unique demonstration?"

Buddy picked up his bowl, slurping up all the cereal inside, before setting it down.

"You get to ride along on a Hero Team mission!" said Buddy.

Barry's eyes widened, "WOW! What kind of mission?!"

"Hah, that'll be a surprise!" said Buddy, "First, we need to group up with the others!"

* * *

Mirko's agency stood in front of Barry and Buddy, a tall building. Smaller than most skyscrapers, but at least twice as tall as Buddy's agency.

"It's a little….intimidating!" said Barry, now in costume.

"Hah, don't worry," said Buddy, also now in costume.

"Buddy!"

The duo turned to find Mina and Star-Girl had arrived.

"Barry! We're going to watch a team mission!" said Mina, elated, "This is so awesome! I wonder who else is on our team!"

"I don't know?" said Barry, "But I hope they've got some nice, respectable-"

"BOOBS!"

A certain purple ball headed boy lunged toward Star-Girl, eliciting a shriek from her.

"AAAH!" said Star-Girl, bringing her staff down on the boy's head and slamming him into the ground.

"Ow." Said Mineta, groaning, "So…Close…"

"Oh my god!" said Star-Girl, reaching out to Mineta, "I'm so sorry, are you ok?"

"Don't apologize to him!" said Mina, "We know him! He's the perv of our class!"

Star-Girl quickly backed away from Mineta, a look of cringe on her face.

"Noooo…" said Mineta weakly.

"What are you doing here Mineta?!" asked Mina, "You better not be here just to ogle us!"

"He's here because we've been called to observe a hero team battle."

Derek James appeared, walking past Mineta and extending his hand to Barry, "Nice to see you again Barry!"

"Derek!" said Barry, enthusiastically shaking Derek's hand, "Wow, your costume is awesome!"

Derek wore his spandex costume, complete with a mask on, "Wow, really? Yours looks awesome too, I love the little lightning bolts on the goggles!"

"Hah, Thanks!" said Barry.

"Hey, don't talk to this guy Barry!" said Mineta, "He'll betray you on a moments notice!"

"What?" said Barry, "What does that mean Derek?"

Derek's face turned red as he began to stutter.

"I-uh-he-uh-means-uh!"

"Ok, Ok. Simmer down kids."

Mt. Lady came into view, dressed in her costume, "Oh, Vegetarian man! How are you?"

"Animal-Man is fine, Mt. Ego." Said Buddy, "And we should probably all get inside, this is a time-sensitive case."

"YES SIR!" said the students, all falling in line as the group entered the agency.

* * *

"What the hell is this?!" shouted Mirko.

Mirko stood dumbstruck, staring at the group of people in her lobby.

"Who asked all of you here?" said a furious Mirko, "Who? WHO?"

"I did Ms. Usagiyama."

Mirko whirled around, her eyes like daggers, as she stared down her agent, Ryoma.

"Who put you up to this?! The government?!" said Mirko.

"Yes actually," said Ryoma, "And before you even argue about it, this isn't just government-sanctioned, it's government ENFORCED. Like it or not, you're teaming up with these people."

"Like hell I am!" said Mirko, "Tell the government to find someone else!"

"Hah, I didn't take you for a quitter Mirko!" said Mt. Lady, "Hey, maybe we can do without you!"

Mirko began to practically steam with rage, "You bastards think I'm weak or something!? I'll show you otherwise, and I'll do it on my own!"

"Ms. Usagiyama, might I remind you that you won't be going out for hero work unless it's in a team, finding the rogues." Said Ryoma.

"The Rogues? Who are they?" asked Mina.

"That comes later ma'am," said Ryoma, "Now Mirko, play nice and be a team player for once. I don't think this agency would be very pleased if it's one and only hero lost her license."

"Hmph." Said Mirko, begrudgingly accepting the arrangement.

"Now," said Ryoma, "Let's tell you people about the Rogues!"

Ryoma began to lead the group further into the building. During the walk, Barry approached Derek.

"Derek, seriously, what happened?" asked Barry.

Derek looked around nervously, "I, um, don't want to talk about it!"

"C'mon Derek, you can trust me." Said Barry.

Derek sighed, "Well, see, Mt. Lady left us alone at her apartment to go drinking."

"Ok?" said Barry, unsure of where this was going.

"So Mineta and I were playing a board game to pass the time, when I got a text, right?!" said Derek.

"Don't ask me to confirm your story, this is the first time I'm hearing it." Said Barry.

"Right, sorry." Said Derek, "Anyway, I check the text and it's a friggin Nude of Mt. Lady!"

Barry's face becomes red almost instantly.

"WHAT!" shouted Barry.

"Hey," said Mina, "what are you guys talking about?"

"Um, Nothing!" said Barry, "Anyways, What happened, why did she send it?"

"I don't think it was meant for me, it had a message addressing some other guy on it!" said Derek, "She must have gotten my number mixed up with his number!"

"What did you do with it!" asked Barry.

"Well, I stupidly told Mineta what happened first, and he started freaking out and trying to grab my phone." Said Derek.

"Typical Mineta." Said Barry.

"I managed to delete it while he was grappling with me." Said Derek, "But I'm gonna be scarred by that encounter for a while."

"DEREK YOU BASTARD!" shouted Mineta, "You got a lucky look at restricted goods, and you didn't even have the common courtesy to share them with me!"

"It's not like I wanted to see them Mineta!" said Derek.

"Hush children," said Ryoma, "We're here."

* * *

The group all gathered into a room with a projector, taking their seats in foldable chairs.

"Now, let's make something clear," said Ryoma, "Who here does not know the purpose of this mission."

All of the work-study students promptly raised their hands, as well as Mt. Lady.

"Mr. Takeyama, I distinctly remember speaking over the phone about this issue!" said Ryoma, "I understand that you have not informed the students here, but your lack of knowledge is unacceptable."

"Eh, I got a little tipsy last night," said Mt. Lady, "Don't remember much of anything yesterday."

Ryoma frowned, "Well then, let this briefing be a refresher then! Your goal is to catch a new villain group known as the Rogues!"

"Who're they?" asked Mina.

"The Rogues are a band of thieves and robbers, they became famous for their heists in the States, but now they've come here for fresh banks to rob." Explained Ryoma.

"Eh, just bank robbers?" said Mt. Lady, "If it was that simple, how did Mirko get the floor wiped with her."

"Shut yer trap!" said Mirko.

"Make no mistake, while the Rogues are mostly based around heists, they are still an exceptionally dangerous group." Explained Ryoma, "I've taken the liberty of studying their history, and I've come up with some interesting things. On a group level, they don't take lives."

"Why?" asked Derek, "Not hoping they do, just wondering why they don't just take out whoever's in their way."

"The Rogues seem to have some sort of code," said Ryoma, "Fewer bodies also mean less heat, and less heat means a lower profile. Plus, Bodies tend to weigh on one's consciousness."

"You seem to know an awful lot about this stuff." Said Barry.

"Well, I would know, my wife is a former thief." Said Ryoma.

"Is she a hottie?" asked Mineta.

Ryoma glared at Mineta, "You may be a minor, but make another remark like that and I'll promptly wring your neck."

Mineta clammed up, not making a sound.

"Thank you!" said Ryoma, "Now, onto individual Rogue members, The first two are Leonard and Lisa Snart. They are also known by their villain names Captain Cold and Golden Glider."

Two Images appeared from the Projector, showing a man in a parka and ski glasses as well as a woman in a golden ice skating dress.

"Well these villains sure love their alliteration." Said Courtney.

"They sure do." Said Buddy.

"The Snart siblings actually come from a line of thieves, though they're the first to be quirkless." Explained Ryoma, "After the two ran away from home, they acquired special weaponry, likely stolen from research centers, and began their heist spree. Snart has a special cold gun that quickly freezes anything it shoots, Pretty self-explanatory. Lisa Snart has ice skates."

"Ice skates?" said Mina, "How can ice skates be dangerous."

"You weren't there." Said Mirko, "Those skates hurt when she kicks you."

"Indeed, Lisa Snart often skates on ice created by Leonards cold gun, making them a deadly combo." Said Ryoma, "Unfortunately, they aren't the only members of the Rogues."

"How many more are there?" asked Barry.

"There are six in total as far as we know." Said Ryoma, "Including our next Rogue, Mick Rory, AKA Heat Wave."

The projector showed a man with horrible burns, also wearing welding goggles.

"Rory's troubles began when he burnt down his home while playing with a lighter, killing his family in the process."

Mina gasped, "That's terrible!"

"Terrible? That's friggin brutal!" said Mineta.

"This incident caused both a great deal of trauma to young Rory, but also caused him to develop Pyromania."

"So he's an insane Arsonist who likes burning people." Asked Derek.

"Pyromania isn't about burning people, it's about burning all things." Said Barry, "Trust me, I spent way to much time studying this stuff."

"Precisely Mr. Allen," said Ryoma, "Rory has, in his psychological reports, been prone to setting inanimate objects on fire, but he had generally been recorded to dislike burning living animals or people. Rory carries a high powered flamethrower, the heat of which is much higher than normal, capable of melting metal."

"Geez, wouldn't want to get near him." Said Mina.

"Moving on! Our next Rogue is Mark Mardon, or Weather Wizard." Said Ryoma.

"There it is again with the alliteration!" said Courtney.

"Mardon used to be a part of a South America drug cartel, but this fact seemed to change after some intercartel conflicts got his father killed, upon which he fled. He wandered the world until he fell in with the rogues presumably." Said Ryoma, "His call to fame is a wand that can summon almost any form of weather instantly."

"A wand?" said Mina, "This guy really is a wizard!"

"Not exactly, the wand is a product of extremely advanced technology, the specifics I do not know." Said Ryoma, "Now, the next Rogue is Sam Scudder, or Mirror Master."

Courtney's eyes widened, "Why are these people so obsessed with Alliteration!"

"That is something I do not know." Said Ryoma, "I also do not know many details about Scudder. It is presumed that he developed a device that interacts with mirrors in some way, but details on that aspect are also very small."

"Mysterious Mirror Man? I'll enjoy kicking the snot out of him!" said Mirko.

"The final Rogue to discuss is James Jesse, or the Trickster."

"Aw, no more alliteration?" said Courtney.

"James Jesse was born in a circus, but his parents weren't just performers, they were actually con artists." Said Ryoma, "He followed in his parent's footsteps, becoming a master con artist himself. He became so good in fact, that he was known everywhere and had to turn to the life of a villain."

"Wait, if he was so good at being a con artist, why would he have to change?" asked Mina.

"Well, being infamous isn't exactly something you want if you're trying to be a con artist," said Barry, "being a con artist is all about being below the radar, being famous would probably be counterintuitive to that idea!"

"Huh, I guess that makes sense!" said Mina.

"Thank you, Allen, you hit the nail on the head." Said Ryoma, "Together, the Rogues are an extremely tight team, capable of highly efficient plans and strategies that even the most experienced heroes would fall victim too. That is why this team was formed, to take them down we need a counter team! Now, ARE YOU READY TO GET OUT THERE AND TAKE DOWN THESE THIEVES!"

"YEAH!" shouted the work-study students, earning confused looks from the heroes.

"Sorry, we're a bit enthusiastic!" said Barry.

Footsteps became audible from the hallway as a woman burst through the door of the briefing room.

"Is the team ready?!" asked the woman.

"Ready as we'll ever be!" said Buddy.

"Hey, who said you were leading?" asked Mirko.

"Have you lead a team before?" asked Buddy.

Mirko was silent.

"Good, then follow my lead!" said Buddy, "Yes, we're ready!"

"Good, because reports have come in that the Rogues are robbing a bank right here in this city, on Main Street!"

Buddy smirked, "Alright team, let's get out there and catch some villains!"

The group burst into the hallway, making their way outside, before beginning their travels toward the bank.

* * *

"Hands down or you get a fistful of gravity!" shouted Jin, who sported a strange mechanical glove.

The Bank itself was ornate, with chiseled pillars and marbled walls, and a vault behind the receptionist desk. The Rogues were scattered about in a bank, each in their specific position. Mardon, Rory, and Jin were in charge of crowd control, watching and intimidating the civilians. Glider read instructions to Jesse, who was cracking the vault. Cold watched over them all, supervising the whole squad from a terrace above the bank flanked by windows.

Suddenly, a tv in the bank began to blare the news.

"Star Labs has announced that their Particle generator is nearing completion, this device would supply infinite energy to the whole city, and maybe even all of Japan!" said a news anchor.

"Grrr!" growled Jin, making a fist with his gloved hand. Jin lifted his hand, causing some rubble and miscellaneous objects to lift off the ground, before swinging his arm, throwing the objects into the TV. The TV gets smashed against the wall, sparking and hissing, before falling to the ground, almost crushing a civilian, who promptly screamed in terror.

"JIN!" said Cold, "Control yourself, we don't leave bodies!"

"Don't worry about it!" said Jin, "Some wanton destruction here or there! I didn't mean to hurt anyone!"

"Good, just don't take that risk again, or you won't be in the Rogues permanently!" said Cold, returning his gaze to the rest of the bank.

"Psst, Snart, SNART!"

Cold looked into the window next to him, seeing Scudder.

"What's wrong Scudder?" asked Cold.

"Heroes, a whole squad!" said Scudder, "Spotted them while on guard duty, 8 in number! Half of them look like kids though!"

Cold grimaced, they were too early.

"Jesse!" shouted Cold, "How close are you to finishing with that vault!"

"At least another 10 minutes!" shouted Jesse.

Cold frowned, they would be here sooner than that.

"Alright boys!" shouted Cold, leaping down from his perch and pulling out his gun, "We've got a squad of incoming heroes!"

"How many?" asked Mardon.

"Four, not counting the kids coming as well." Said Cold, pointing his cold gun at the entrance to the bank.

"What do you mean kids?" asked Rory.

"I mean kids, Mick," said Cold, "They're probably students, we won't have to fight them."

"Even then, four heroes seem like a lot." Said Jin, "Maybe we should cut and run?"

"No.," said Cold, "If we get this one heist done, then we won't have to do anymore in Japan. We stick to our guns!"

Jin, Rory, and Mardon all aim their weapons at the entrance, ready for the heroes.

"This is it, boys, show them what the Rogue name means!" shouted Cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit of an info dump, hopefully the setting and bits with other characters made it more interesting.


	24. Rise Of The Rogues: The Heist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the pro heroes engage the Rogues, Barry and Co must find a way to save the hostages without getting in the way.

"Check check," said Animal-Man, "Are the earpieces all tuned in?"

"Stargirl checking in!" said Stargirl.

"Mt. Lady, checking in!" said Mt. Lady.

"Mirko, checking in," said Mirko.

"Grape Juice, checking in!" said Mineta.

"Sideways, checking in!" said Derek.

"Pinky, checking in!" said Mina.

"Flash, checking in!" said Barry.

The squad of heroes made their way to the bank, using different methods to do so. Stargirl and Animal-Man flew, Mt. Lady took giant steps, carrying both Mineta and Derek on her shoulders, Mirko leaped from building to building while Barry simply ran, carrying Mina on his back.

"We'll be there soon guys," said Animal-Man, "Let's go over the plan one more time. Us registered heroes will make a direct assault, distracting as many of the villains as possible. Mt. Lady, you'll crack the bank open right away, paving the way for Mirko and I."

"Sounds good!" said MT. Lady, "I'll squish any villain I see too."

"I wish she could squish me." Whispered Mineta under his breath.

"Great, while Mirko and I will try to immobilize and capture the Rogues, Stargirl will fill the role of overwatch."

"What?!" said Stargirl.

"Hover over the fight, if you see any villains running, take them out." Said Animal-Man.

Stargirl sighed, "I wish you would give me a more significant job."

"I will, just not today." Said Animal-Man, "As for the work study students, you'll be saddled with hostage rescue."

"Huh?!" said Mineta, "We aren't just going to watch?"

"Nope, while we distract and capture the villains, you'll be getting the hostages and civilians out of danger." Said Animal-Man.

"But how?" asked Derek, "Do you have a specific plan for us?"

"Yeah, some direction would be nice!" said Mina.

"Hey, I thought you guys were U.A.?" said Animal-Man, "Consider this a test, get the hostages out, but use your own heads!"

"Got it!" replied Barry.

The heroes rapidly approached the bank, surrounded by police.

"Get ready Boys and girls!" said Animal-Man, "We're coming in hot!"

* * *

"Getting kinda antsy Snart." Said Heatwave, "C'mon, I wanna set something on fire!"

"Shut up Mick, you'll have time to set something on fire soon." Said Cold.

"Hey guys," said Jin, "Sounds like somethings shaking!"

Sure enough, the ground began to shake, the sounds of massive footsteps getting closer and closer.

"I've heard about a hero, Mt. Lady, some massive giant of a bitch who crushes shit." Said Heatwave.

"Is the giant gonna get hurt by harsh weather?" asked Mardon, floating in the air.

"I haven't heard otherwise." Said Heatwave.

"Heh, sounds good." Said Mardon, raising his wand, electricity beginning to spill out.

The Bank shook as a massive chunk of the roof is torn asunder, and a certain hero looks inside from the newly made hole.

"HOUSEKEEPING!" shouted Mt. Lady.

"Come back later please!" said Mardon, waving his wand about.

A massive bolt of lightning strikes Mt. Lady in the face, causing her to fall back into the street, unconscious and her hair on fire. Both Animal-Man and Mirko dive into the bank, Mirko kicking Mardon out of the air while Animal-Man tackles Jin to the ground.

"Give it up!" shouted Animal-Man.

"Or we'll make this painful!" shouted Mirko.

Snart laughed, "Hah, you guys practice those lines beforehand?!"

Raising his cold gun, Snart fires a ray of ice, forcing Animal-Man to dive off of Jin and out of the way of the impending icy laser.

"Woah!" shouted Animal-Man, twisting his body in an inhuman way, contorting it in ways not physically possible in order to avoid the cold ray.

Snart stops firing the gun, looking at Animal-Man in astonishment.

"Heh," said Animal-Man, "Did you know that Sea Lions can flex their pelvis in order to walk, I put that flexibility to good use."

"Yeow!"

Mirko is forced back, leaping in next to Animal-Man after dodging Heatwave's flames.

"Too hot." Said Mirko.

"Don't worry, we'll still have a good time." Said Jin, smirking as he lifted his gravity gauntlet, raising a piece of rubble and tossing it the duo, forcing them to dive in opposite directions.

"You sure a team was a good idea?" said Mirko, "Cause right now the result's looking the same!"

"Don't worry," said Animal-Man, "We're on equal footing right now, plus once Mt. Lady comes back in, the scales will be tipped."

"Hrmph," said Mirko, "I just hope the kids are doing ok too."

* * *

"WHAT DO WE DO!" shouted Mineta.

The four students stood in the alleyway beside the bank, brainstorming a way to save the hostages.

"What if we send Mineta in, link each hostage with one of his balls, then take them all out at once!" asked Mina.

"I dunno, they'd be stuck together for 24 hours." Said, Mineta.

"Plus, they probably wouldn't fit through the front doors." Said Barry.

"Dangit!" said Mina.

"Maybe we can just run in and take em out through the front door." Said Derek.

"Not only would the villains catch us, but we would also probably get in the hero's way." Said Barry.

"GAH!" shouted Derek, "This is so hard!"

The students began to bang their heads in frustration.

_Even if we came up with a solid plan, we might not get all the hostages out in time. Maybe the best idea is to-_

"Split up!" said Barry.

"Eh!" said the other students.

Barry looked up, an imaginary lightbulb going off in his head.

"Here's the plan, Derek, you can rift hostages out, it's quick, quiet, and safe." Said Barry.

"I guess so," said Derek, "But I'm only one guy, I won't be able to get everyone out super quickly. Besides, I need their specific location."

"That's where Mina and I come in," said Barry.

"Huh?" said Mina.

"Mina, you can melt a hole in the wall using your acid and I'll use that hole to run in and bring hostages out quickly. They can escape through the alley!" said Barry.

"That sounds like a great plan Barry!" said Mina.

"Yeah!" said Mineta, "except… what'll I do?"

"You're the lookout!" said Barry.

"What?" said Mineta.

"You heard me!" said Barry, "Derek can rift you to a vantage point, somewhere safe where you can tell me or Derek if we're in immediate danger, you'll also be giving Derek coordinates for the hostages so he can get them out!"

"Huh, that's actually the perfect job for me!" said Mineta.

"Yeah! No danger for a cowardly perv like you!" said Mina.

"Wow, way to swap subjects!" said Mineta.

"Everybody!" said Barry, "Focus, people's lives are at stake!"

The group stopped arguing with each other, silently nodding in agreement.

"Alright! Let's do this!" shouted Barry.

Derek opens a rift, sticking his head inside to witness the battle inside the bank. The heroes were currently in active battle with most of the Rogues, but a couple were still working on the vault. Surveying the bank, Derek spotted a ledge.

"Alright Mineta, here we go!" said Derek, pulling his head back up before closing the rift.

"Hey, can I have a second to prepa-"

Mineta is interrupted when Derek opens a rift under Mineta's feet, causing him to yelp in surprise as he fell in. Barry put his finger on his earpiece, "Mineta, are you there?"

"Yeah, and tell Derek I'm gonna leak nudes of his mom when this is over!" said Mineta over the radio.

"If you do that, I'll drop you in the Arctic and never look back." Said Derek.

Mineta gulped in fear before responding, "Never mind! The hostages are clear for now, I'll tell you if you're in danger!"

Barry smiled, "Nice, Mina, get to work on that hole!"

"Yes sir!" said Mina, acid dripping from her hands as she began to spray the bank wall.

"Derek, start pulling hostages out!" said Barry, prompting a nod from Derek.

"Mineta!" said Derek, "Where's the first hostage."

"About 20 meters from the door!" said Mineta.

Smirking, Derek opened a portal and out spilled a middle-aged woman.

"I…What!" said the woman.

"Ma'am, we're heroes." Said Derek, "Head down the alley to the police, they'll get you somewhere safe."

The woman's confusion turned to joy, "Thank you, young man!" she said before taking her leave.

Derek repeated the process a few more times, saving more and more people.

"Barry, I did it!" said Mina.

Barry looked at the impressive hole in the bank, just wide enough for 2 people to pass through at the same time.

"Nice!" said Barry, "I'll be sure to make great use of your hole!"

Mina's cheeks grew red, "B-Barry!"

Barry's eyes widened, his cheeks growing red, "FORGETIEVERSAIDANYTHING!"

Barry raced inside, scooped up a boy, and brought him outside.

"PointanyoneIbringouttothepolice!" said Barry before going back inside.

"You got it Barry!" said Mina, "Hey, little boy, the police are that way!"

Mina pointed towards the police outside the alley.

"Thank you miss hero!" said the boy, running out of the alley.

Derek pulled another hostage through, panting, "How…*huff*.. How did you understand that?!"

Mina thought to herself as Barry pulled two more hostages outside, "I guess I got used to it!" she said.

"Ha, go figure!" said Derek, pulling another hostage out.

* * *

Jin screams a battle cry, lifting a huge piece of rubble from the ground before flinging it at Mirko, Mirko smirks before leaping at the object kicking it with enough force to shatter the projectile before landing in front of Jin.

"Any last words twerp?" asked Mirko.

"Freeze!" shouted Snart, firing a blast of ice at Mirko. Mirko and Jin both leap out of the way as the blast makes its way towards a hostage.

"NO!" shouted Mirko.

Suddenly, a red blur swipes the hostage in front of the blast, causing it to hit the wall harmlessly.

"What the-" said Snart.

"They're students," said Animal-Man, appearing behind Snart, "but they're better than you think! They're also taking your leverage!"

Animal-Man punches Snart in the back, sending him flying forward and onto his face.

"So you don't have much choice but to surrender!" said Animal-Man, leisurely walking towards a grounded Snart.

Snart quickly turned onto his back, aiming his gun at Animal-Man and pulling the trigger. Animal-Man leans to the side almost effortlessly, dodging the blast.

"Wha-"

"Did you know fruit flies have the fastest reactionary times of any insect." Said Animal-Man, "Give it up, we have you surrounded, there's no escape."

"Oh, there is." Said Snart, sneakily flipping a switch on his gun, "You just don't know his name."

"Mirror Master?" said Animal-Man, "Tell me what his power is!"

"Have a snowcone instead!" said Snart, firing the gun again. This time, instead of firing a ray of ice, the gun blasted a massive explosion of snow, burying Animal-Man before he can react.

"Can't react to that, can you!" said Snart, smugly getting up.

* * *

"That's the last of the hostages!" said Mineta.

Barry paused outside after taking the last hostage to the alley, sweating.

"Whoo, we did it!" said Barry.

"Yay!" said Mina.

"Alright!" said Derek.

"Wait! Something's happening!" said Mineta.

"What?" asked Barry.

"They've broken into the vault, and Animal-Man got taken out!" said Mineta, "That Cold guy is going in to finish him!"

The group became worried.

"Maybe Mirko can save him!" said Mina.

"She's fighting the Heatwave guy!" said Mineta.

"What about Mt. Lady?" asked Derek.

"She's still down after being struck by lightning." Said Barry, "We have to do something!"

"Wait, Barry, we can't use our-" said Mina.

Barry raced back inside, leaving a massive outburst of wind.

"BARRY!" shouted Mina.

* * *

Mirko leaped between the ornate pillars within the bank, avoiding each of Heatwaves' blasts.

"Stand still rabbit!" shouted Heatwave.

"Make me!" shouted Mirko, continuing to dodge, "I'm going to grind you weakling into dust!"

Suddenly, a rain cloud appears in front of Mirko, blocking her view.

"Dodge him now Bitch!" shouted Weather Wizard.

"What the!" shouted Mirko, leaping out of the way of the raincloud only to be met by a burst of fire from Heatwave.

"ARGH!" yelped Mirko.

Mirko landed on the bank floor, rolling around on the ground to put herself out before getting back up.

"You almost got me!" said Mirko, "But no dice!"

"How about now!"

A massive piece of the ceiling slammed into Mirko from above, courtesy of Jin's gravity gauntlet. Mirko turned onto her back, using her legs to try and lift the rubble off of her, but Jin's used his gauntlet to apply extra force, keeping her pinned.

"Now we got you!" shouted Jin.

"Grrrr!" grunted Mirko, struggling to get out from under the rubble.

Meanwhile, Animal-Man had just finished digging himself out of the avalanche that Cold had unleashed upon him. As he finally broke out of the snow, he was instantly met with a boot to his neck as cold pinned him onto the ground, aiming the cold gun at his head.

Animal-Man grimaced, "You don't kill, I know that."

"Maybe I don't kill." Said Snart, "But that doesn't mean I can't hurt you bad enough you can't follow us."

Golden Glider and Trickster waltz out of the vault, carrying bags of money and gold bars, "Snart, open the door will you!" said Trickster.

"Try the window, Jesse." Said Snart without looking away from Animal-Man.

Out of one of the reflective mirrors, Scudder emerges while holding his mirror device. The rogues, with the exception of Jin and Cold, begin tossing the loot into the window.

"Are we ready?" asked Scudder as the last bags are loaded.

"Almost, just have to finish some-" said Snart.

Suddenly, a red blur with yellow streaks of lightning zips by Snart, yanking the cold gun out of his hands.

"WHAT THE HELL" shouted Snart, his head darting around searching for the assailant.

And then he saw him, a blonde boy in a red hoodie with a lightning bolt emblazoned across the front, blue jeans with golden elbow and knee guards, yellow lightning bolt boots, and shades with lightning bolts pointing out the back. The boy smirked, holding Snart's gun.

"Who the hell are you!" snarled Snart.

"I'm **THE FLASH**!" shouted the boy, aiming the gun at Jin, "I wonder what this does?"

The boy blasts Jin with the gun, freezing him solid.

"Graaaa-"

Jin screamed before being completely encased in ice. With the pressure gone, Mirko launches the rubble into the sky before leaping to her feet.

"Back in the game baby!" shouted Mirko.

"Take em out!" shouted Snart, lifting his foot off of Animal-Man and prompting Heatwave and Golden Glider to charge the heroes. Suddenly, the ground shakes as a familiar figure appears in the roof.

"I'm BAAAAACK!" shouted Mt. Lady, grabbing Golden Glider before the Rogues can react.

"AAAAAGH!" shouted Golden Glider.

"LISA!" shouted Snart and Scudder.

"BASTARDS!" shouted Rory, aiming fire at Mt. Lady.

"NOPE!" shouted Barry, leaping in front of Rory and grabbing his flame gun, turning it down towards the ground.

"Let go you little brat!" shouted Rory, before Animal-Man slams into him from the back, delivering a punch to the back of the head and knocking him out.

"NO!" shouted Snart, "You'll all pay for this!"

"Snart!" shouted Trickster, "We need to go!"

"No, not without-"

Trickster grabs Snart by the hood of his parka and places small pieces of technology onto his chest. The devices spew rockets, propelling him into the window, sending him into the mirror dimension.

"GO GO GO!" shouted Trickster, running towards the window followed closely by Mardon and Scudder.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" shouted Mirko, leaping after the Rogues.

The Rogues pile into the window, Scudder getting in right before Mirko smashes her foot into the window, breaking it completely.

"Damnit, some of them escaped!" shouted Mirko.

"And even worse, my hair is ruined!" cried Mt. Lady.

"But we got a few of them." Said Barry, "It's better than the last time right?"

Mirko glared at him, "You shouldn't be here kid."

"What?" said Barry in astonishment, "Why?"

"Because you don't have your license yet you idiot!"

The rest of the students entered the bank, followed by Star-Girl. Mina storming up to Barry.

"You dumbass, you could've gotten hurt! Tell us before you do something next time!" said Mina.

"I did!" said Barry.

"Give us time to process it then!" said Mina.

"Aww, I missed the whole fight!" said Stargirl.

"Calm down boys and girls." Said Animal-Man, stretching his back, "And Mirko's right, you shouldn't have done that Barry."

"But, why?" asked Barry.

"Kid, you don't have your license yet." Said Animal-Man, "What you did just now was technically illegal."

"Oh!" said Barry, "So I'm in trouble now aren't I."

"Wellllll." Said Animal-Man, "You DID save my bacon back there."

"Buddy, what are you-" said Mirko.

"So let's do this," said Animal-Man, "You never saved my life, and Captain Cold just slipped, freezing his fellow Rogue by accident."

"Umm," said Barry, looking at Mina only to be greeted by a pouty face, "Yes, that's exactly what happened."

"EXACTLY what happened." Repeated Mt. Lady, winking at Barry.

Animal-Man smiled, "Great! And now that that's out of the way, you kids did an outstanding job!"

"Really?!" said Derek.

"The hostages were out faster than Batburger delivery!" said Animal-Man, "You guys are getting a star recommendation from me!"

"YAY!" said the group.

"While some of the Rogues have escaped, I want to make clear that this mission isn't over." Said Animal-Man, "They're lower in number now, so they'll be easier to catch next time! Now come on, these villains have an appointment with the warden!"

The group began to exit the bank with the heroes, only they were forgetting one thing.

"Hello?" said Mineta, "Can anyone help me down?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Original Arc is in full swing! I really enjoyed writing this arc and I hope you guys like it!


	25. Rise Of The Rogues: No Rogue Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Rogues cope with their loss, they vow to rescue their comrades. Meanwhile, Mina has a meaningful conversation.

"YOU GUYS!" cried Mineta, crying hysterically, "YOU ALMOST LEFT ME UP THERE!"

"Oh stop crying you big baby," said Derek, "I wouldn't do that to you."

"I would." Said Mina.

"C'mon guys, we're about to head out." Said Barry.

The group was set up outside of the bank with the heroes, clearing the scene as the sunset. The villains had been loaded into a riot van while the rest of the police had dispersed to hunt the rest of the Rogues.

"Alright guys," said Animal-Man, "Are you ready to hunt down some more villains?"

"YEAH!" said Mina.

"Woah Woah, hold your horses." Said Mirko, "What about the villains we have."

The group looked at the riot van, which currently housed Jin, Golden Glider, and Heatwave, who was currently wrestling with a detective attempting to confiscate a lighter.

"Your right," said Animal-Man, "We need guards."

Animal-Man turned to the group, "Mina, Barry, Courtney, you're in charge of the prison vans."

"Ugh, really!" said Courtney.

"Sorry, but we need someone to watch the students as well as guard, it's an important job." Said Animal-Man.

Courtney frowned, "But-"

"That's an order." Said Animal-Man.

Courtney sighed, resigning herself to the job.

"Right, now that that's all sorted, we'll be off!" said Animal-Man, taking flight.

"I'll see you guys later!" said Derek, making a rift.

"See ya!" said Mineta, being picked up by Mt. Lady.

After the heroes had left, Mina, Barry, and Courtney walked towards the prison van.

"Let's just get this over with." Said Courtney.

The detective, who just finished throwing away Heatwave's lighter, smiled as the heroes approached. He was notably not Japanese, but Hispanic.

"Oh, hey!" said the detective, "Are you the heroes who caught these jokers, what are your names?"

"PINKY!" said Mina enthusiastically.

"The Flash!" said Barry.

"Stargirl." Said Courtney Blankly, "We're here to guard the van, what do you need?"

"Well, some hero guards are always welcome, but I only have one seat." Said the detective.

"Oh don't worry, I can fly." Said Courtney.

"And I can run really fast." Said Barry.

"So that leaves…" the detective's eyes fell upon Mina, "Well, looks like your riding shotgun with me."

"YES!" said Mina, "I get a cozy ride while the two of you have to run around outside."

"Hey, you don't have to rub it in," said Barry.

"Hah, yeah I do!" said Mina.

"Alright alright, let's just do this fast." Said Courtney, flying into the sky.

Mina nodded at Barry before getting into the van with the detective, who started the engine and began to drive off, Barry following using his super speed.

* * *

On the waterside, a small outcropping covered in concrete hid the trapdoor to a compound.

The Rogues safehouse.

Quickly but quietly, The remaining Rogues snuck over to the trapdoor, opening it and running down the stairs before the door closed behind them.

The remaining Rogues entered a single room, fitted with different gadgets and tools. One corner held a table with city plans on it while another corner held a massive pile of money. A pair of stairs in the side of the room led to a hidden boat on the waterways, meant to be an escape vessel. The Rogues silently poured into the room, contemplating the events that had befallen them.

"Well, we might have lost a few people along the way, but we have the money, and that's what matters." Said Trickster, breaking the silence, "I say we load our loot and take off!"

"Jesse," said Snart, grabbing him by the shoulder, "Shut up."

Snart delivers a punch across Tricksters' face, knocking him backward.

"What the hell Snart?!" said Trickster.

"What the hell yourself!" said Snart, "We left my sister behind! Rory too!"

"Don't forget the kid." Said Mardon.

"Him too." Said Snart, "We can't leave without them."

"Bullshit we can't," said Trickster, "They're going to prison, and from what I hear they've got one that's impossible to break into or out off, they're gone."

"They wouldn't be transported instantly, they'd have to take them in some sort of transportation." Said Snart, "We can take them there."

"Even if that's true," said Mardon, "We would have to contend with heroes, out in the open no less."

"Not if we execute part 1 of our escape plan." Said Snart.

The room became silent again, each Rogue taking the words in.

"No.," said Trickster, "If we do it too early, we might not have enough time to make our getaway for real. We're only meant to do that when the boat is ready to go!"

"If we act quickly enough, we can make it!" said Snart.

"I dunno," said Mardon, "I think I'm with Jesse on this, it's too risky."

"Damnit you too Mardon?" said Snart, looking down to the ground, "Alright, let's put it up to a vote, but since I'm the leader, my vote counts for 2."

"Hell no," said Trickster.

"Hey, he got us this far, let him have it." Said Mardon.

"….Ok," said Trickster.

"Alright then," said Snart, "I vote we go after our fellow Rogues."

"I vote nay." Said Trickster.

Mardon considered the choice for a moment before uttering the word "Nay."

The 3 looked at Scudder.

"Scudder, you've been pretty silent Hermano." Said Mardon, "What's your choice?"

Scudder had a dark look in his eyes, staring back at the others. It took a few moments for him to finally speak.

"Let's get this straight." Said Scudder, "I don't rightly give a shit about most of you. I don't think the kids Rogue material, we barely know him. And Rory makes my skin crawl. But I love Lisa more than anything else in the world."

The rogues listened with bated breath.

"She gives a shit about you guys, about all this, about the Rogue code." Said Scudder, "And if she believes in it, then So will I damnit. I say we go."

The decision weighed on the room for a moment before Snart finally spoke, "It's decided then, everybody get into position, we're moving out."

As the Rogues dispersed, Snart put his hand on Scudder's shoulder.

"What?" said Scudder.

"I just wanted to say….I hate your guts." Said Snart.

"Heh, same." Said Scudder.

"But you've earned my respect, don't lose it." Said Snart.

Snart goes off to tune his weapon, leaving Scudder to prepare. He pulls out his mirror device, staring at it intently.

"I'm coming, Lisa."

* * *

"So, what's your quirk?"

"Huh?"

The prison van, flanked by Stargirl and Barry, slowly made its way through traffic. Mina looked out the window, watching the everyday citizens go about their peaceful existence after the sunset.

"My quirk is acid, I can secrete acid from my skin!" said Mina, "Not to be rude, but I never caught your name."

"Singh, David Singh." Said the detective, "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too!" said Mina, "Just a question, but why are you driving this van if you're a detective?"

"Yeah, Why're you doing a nobody's job!" shouted Jin.

"Shut up back there!" shouted back Singh, "I volunteered, there wasn't much to analyze back there since the bank was wrecked, especially with a massive hole in the wall."

"Heh, sorry about that!" said Mina.

"What are you sorry for?" said Singh, before his eyes grew wide, "Wait, did you make that hole in the wall?"

"Eheheh, yep!" said Mina.

"Why?!" said Singh, "That was 4 feet of solid concrete!"

"It was part of Barry's plan to rescue hostages!" said Mina, "And it worked out really well!"

"How did burning a hole in the wall help?" asked Singh.

"With a hole wide enough to fit 2 people, Barry could carry hostages out quickly with his quirk." Said Mina, "He's the one running outside right now!"

Singh looked out the window to the side to see Barry running with them. Barry notices Singh's gaze and smiles back, waving.

"Hahaha! I guess that makes sense." Said Singh, returning his gaze to the road, "It's not the most intricate plan though."

"Barry can make intricate plans!" said Mina, "When he was fighting our classmate Bakugo in the tournament, he made a huge tornado!"

"Ha, wish I could've seen that!" said Singh.

"Yeah! You should have!" said Mina, before slumping back in her seat. Oddly enough though, Barry didn't leave her head. Mina began to put certain things together in her head, coming up with worse and worse conclusions.

"H-Hey, Mr. Singh?" said Mina.

"Yes?" said Singh.

"I could use some advice." Said Mina.

"On?" said Singh.

Mina sighed, "Think of it this way. Say you became friends with someone."

"Yeah?" said Singh.

"But before you became friends, you found out about something awful that happened to them, something really private, and you found out in a way they didn't want you to." Said Mina.

"Mmhmm." Said Singh.

"And now that they're friends with you, they say they're ok, but you don't think they're ok." Said Mina.

"I'm listening." Said Singh.

"I have to ask, should you talk to them about it, or leave it alone." Asked Mina.

Singh thought before a moment before laughing out loud.

"HAHAHAHA!"

Mina frowned, "What's so funny?"

"Oh, oh god." Said Singh, wiping a tear from his eye, "Christ you sound like my boyfriend."

"B-Boyfriend?!" said Mina, her cheeks growing red.

"Heh, yeah!" said Singh, "He's always asking these kinds of questions to make his music!"

"Umm, ok." Said Mina, "But you didn't answer my question."

"Well, from my experience, leaving things resolved can lead to some problems later down the road, trust me I know." Said Singh, "So I'd recommend you talk it out with Barry, and maybe tell him how you feel too."

"Thanks, I-" Mina's eyes widened, "How did you know I was talking about Barry, and what do you mean tell him how I feel?"

Singh chuckled, "We were just talking about him, he was probably the focus of our conversation anyway. Besides, I can tell you like the guy as more than a friend."

Mina blushed, her pink skin now a deep red, "I don't LIKE like him."

"I mean, it's pretty clear from how you talk about him." Said Singh, "When I was knocking his strategy, you were right at his defense!"

Mina looked away from Singh and out the window.

_Is it true? Do I …. Like Barry?_

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

"AAAAAGH!"

Barry knocks on the window with super speed, causing Mina to scream.

"Barry!" screamed Mina, rolling down the window, "You gave me a heart attack!"

"Oh, sorry Mina!" said Barry, "There's a car accident ahead, nobody's hurt but the road is blocked, so I wanted to help direct you guys to an alternative route."

"Ah, gotcha." Said Singh.

Barry ran ahead of the van, guiding the van down a less populated path.

* * *

Stargirl flew high above the van, following Its path and giving Barry directions.

"Make a left at the next intersection." Said Stargirl.

"Got it." Said Barry, "How far are we?"

"A few miles till we reach the station." Said Stargirl, "Then hopefully we can join in the hunt for the remaining Rogues."

"Yeah, that'd be great!" said Barry.

Stargirl continued along her path, but her mind was elsewhere.

_This is important work, I understand that. But would it kill Buddy to put me on a more important job? I wanna get out there and show the world what I'm made of._

Stargirl continued to fly absentmindedly until she caught something out of the corner of her eye, the glint of a reflective surface, aimed straight at her.

_What in-_

A projectile strikes Stargirl out of nowhere, causing an explosion of gas that blinds her and causes her to gag.

*KAFF* *KAFF*

Losing focus, Stargirl plummets towards the ground.

* * *

"Hey Barry?" said Mina.

"Yeah?" said Barry.

"How far are we?" asked Mina.

"Stargirl says a few miles." Said Barry.

"Great!" Said Mina, "I can't wait to go to sleep."

"Mina, we might have to help catch the rest of the Rogues." Said Barry.

"But it's late out," said Mina, "Besides, we already-"

An explosion rocks the sky as Stargirl is shot out of the sky. She falls, draped in gas, towards the ground.

"Oh shit!" said Singh, "What was that?!"

"I don't know?!" said Mina.

"It's Stargirl, she's going down in the alley to our left!" said Barry, racing towards the alley, "I'm gonna go check on her."

"We'll back you up!" said Singh, shifting gears and following Barry.

Barry raced into the alley, surprisingly clean with the exception of a few dumpsters, to find Stargirl on her knees, coughing.

*Cough* *Cough*

"Stargirl!" said Barry, "Are you ok? What happened?!"

"A-Attack!" said Stargirl between coughs, "Get…van to ….Safety."

"Don't worry, the van's with us!" said Barry as the van turned into the alley.

"Is she hurt Barry?" asked Mina.

"A little, but it's not fatal." Said Barry, "Careful, whoever did this might be close by."

"You've got at least that right!"

Barry turned to see the Trickster at the other end of the alley, propping up a large human-sized mirror.

"Surprise!" said Trickster, "You've been bamboozled!"

"Not for long!" shouted Barry, blitzing towards Trickster at super speed.

"Barry, Wait!" said Mina.

As Barry ran towards Trickster, he began to make out a figure in the mirror.

A figure holding a gun that had a blue glow.

_Uh Oh_

The entire mirror turns blue as a huge ray of ice blasts out, catching Barry point-blank and freezing the entire alley, including the front of the van.

"Oh shit!" shouted Stargirl, diving behind a dumpster to avoid the blast.

After the blue light had subsided, Barry opened his eyes, his body completely frozen solid. Captain Cold and Mirror Master walk out of the mirror, bearing their weapons. Cold approaches the frozen Barry.

"So, you're the one who screwed up our plans." Said Cold.

Barry attempts to vibrate hi molecules, but it's so cold he can't concentrate.

_This ice, it's even colder than Todoroki's!_

"MMMMMPHH!" muffled Barry, screaming as he attempts to escape.

"Huh, not so fast now huh?" said Snart, lifting his blaster, "Let's make sure you don't catch up to us when we're done."

Cold blasts Barry again, thickening the ice around his body as Barry screams within the ice.

"NO!" shouted Mina, "We have to help him!"

Singh struggles with the doorknob, bashing his shoulder against the door, "It's no use, the doors are frozen shut."

"Damnit!" said Mina.

Cold stops firing his gun, admiring Barry, who was now stuck in a block of ice.

"Nothing witty to say now huh!" said Snart, chuckling, "Jesse, Scudder, get em out."

Stargirl stayed hidden, knowing she couldn't handle them all on her own. Instead, she contacted Animal-Man.

"Buddy!" said Stargirl.

"Courtney? What is it?" asked Buddy via the radio, "We're just about to finish-"

"The Rogues are here!" said Stargirl, "We're on Sutter's street, Hurry!"

The duo nodded, making their way towards the back of the van. Trickster places a piece of chewing gum on the back doors, which begins to smoke before exploding in a small POP like a firecracker. Scudder opens the doors, finding his comrades inside.

"Did you miss me babe?" asked Scudder.

"Oh yes," said Golden Glider, jumping up to kiss Scudder, "I did."

"For Christ's sake," said Trickster, walking inside and using a small superheated butter knife to cut through the handcuffs of his fellow Rogues, "You guys can get a room later."

Rory stood up, rubbing his wrists, "Did you bring me a lighter?"

"Oh, I brought you something better." Said Trickster, holding up Rory's signature Heat Gun.

"Oh that'll do!" said Rory, taking the gun with a smile.

After his handcuffs are undone, jin stands up, reaching out his hand.

"Did you grab any of my stuff?" asked Jin.

"Sorry kid, we couldn't tell what was yours." Said Trickster.

Jin narrowed his eyes, "Are you serious?!"

"He isn't," said Mirror Master, tossing Jin a wrench, "We just couldn't find it, but I brought you a wrench."

Jin looked at the wrench in his hands, "Eh, better than nothing."

The Rogues exit the vehicle, meeting Snart again.

"We knew you wouldn't ditch us." Said Glider.

"No way in hell are we leaving a Rogue behind!" said Snart, "Now let's get out of here."

"NOT SO FAST!"

Animal-Man flies in from the sky, blocking their path out of the alley.

"You won't be getting away with this." Said Animal-Man, "The rest of the team will be here soon."

A laser blasts the ground in front of the rogues as Stargirl flies down next to Animal-Man.

"You ok Stargirl?" asked Animal-Man.

"Fine." Said Stargirl, "But I'm ready to kick some tail."

An explosion occurs from behind the van as Barry leaps over the van, landing next to Stargirl.

"Holy crap!" said Stargirl, "How'd you get out of the ice?"

"I can vibrate my molecules," said Barry, "But it took a while since It was too cold to concentrate."

"Thanks for telling me your weakness Speedy." Said Captain Cold, "But we really should be going now."

"You aren't going anywhere!"

Mina, who burned a hole out of the van, stood behind the Rogues, ready to fight. Singh stood next to her, his service pistol drawn.

"Hands up villains!" said Singh, "I've got jurisdiction to put you bastards down!"

"Oh, I don't think you'll do that." Said Snart, a smirk forming on his face. "In fact, you're going to have a much bigger problem on your hands soon!"

"What does that mean?" asked Barry, before his eyes widened, "Wait, There's a Rogue missing."

Snart puts his finger on his ear, "Commence escape plan phase one."

The hero's eyes widen when they realize something's not right.

"Where's Weather Wizard?" asked Barry.

* * *

Mark Mardon floated high above the city, a lone figure in the sky. He gripped his wand tightly, for he new that if he let go, he would plummet to his death. Mardon feels the wind in his hair and the biting cold at the elevation he floated at. Mardon stared down at the city, full of life and light, bustling with sound.

"Commence escape plan phase one."

The voice of Leonard Snart reaches Mardon's ears, and a smile creeps across his face. Mardon scans the city, finding his target.

The Fukuoka Power Plant.

Raising his wand, Mardon brings a lightning strike down onto the plant, causing an explosion of electricity and sparks. Like a bomb blast expanding outward, all the lights in the city go out, turning the city of light and life into a city of dark and silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like what I'm putting out!


	26. Rise Of The Rogues: Lights Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaos has invaded the streets! The Weather Wizard's choice to cut the power has invited uncontrollable panic throughout the city, forcing the heroes to step up in order to control the damage.

"Where. is. Weather. Wizard."

Animal-Man repeated the question, prompting laughter from the Rogues.

"He's making us our opportunity." Said Snart.

"Opportunity for what?" asked Animal-Man.

Suddenly, a huge boom is heard as all the streetlights suddenly turn off.

"What the hell?" said Singh.

"There it is!" said Snart, "It's been fun heroes, but I think we both have other things to do now."

"You're not going anywhere!" said Stargirl.

"If you wanna fight, that's fine." Said Snart, "But every second you spend fighting us, is a second that an innocent person could get hurt."

"Grrr." Mina growled, "That's dirty!"

"Hah, we're thieves, what did you expect!" said Snart, "Now, we'll be off then. Ciao!"

The Rogues sink into the ice, entering the mirror dimension.

"Shit!" said Barry, "What do we do?"

Animal-Man thought to himself for a moment, "The Rogues can wait another day, we have to help the people." Said Animal-Man, "I'll regroup with the other heroes, try and keep riots to a minimum. Barry, Mina, Singh, I need you on accident duty. This blackout will likely result in more than a few car crashes or knocked over electric poles. And Courtney-"

"Don't you dare put me on the sidelines!" said Stargirl.

Animal-Man smirked, "You're on looter duty."

"Huh?" said Stargirl.

"Looting is likely in an event like this, I trust you to keep the peace." Said Animal-Man.

"Buddy," said Stargirl, relief in her eyes, "Thanks."

"Alright, this is it, people." Said Animal-Man, "We have to help keep the city safe, so that's what we're gonna do damnit. Move out!"

Animal-Man and Stargirl fly off to do their duty, while Barry, Singh, and Mina run off to help anyone in need.

* * *

"FIRE!"

The streets of the city were dark, the only light that bathed the panicked streets were the flames currently eating their way through an apartment building, pieces of brick and wood falling to the sidewalk. Firefighters cleared the area while attempting to deal with the fire. Barry stops in front of the sight with Singh and Mina, terrified.

"Oh no!" said Mina.

"We have to help!" said Barry.

"Stand back, lemme talk to the people on the scene." Said Singh, approaching a firefighter, "Hey, Detective Singh, what happened?"

"Gas Leak, some dumbass tried to light a candle after the power went out. It killed the bastard and endangered everyone else in the building." Said the firefighter, "The building is clear, but we need help keeping people away. Debris could fall and kill someone."

"Gotcha." Said Singh, returning to Barry and Mina, "They've got the fire contained, but they need help keeping people away."

"I gotcha, turn people away from the danger." Said Mina.

"Get to it, lives are at stake!" said Singh.

The trio quickly forms a line, turning civilians away from the fire.

"My laptop is in there, it has important business documents!" said one man.

"They're not as important as your life sir." Said Singh.

"My teddy bear!" said a little girl.

"Sorry to hear that," said Mina, "But I'm sure you'll get a new one soon!"

"WAAAAAA!" cried the girl.

"Oh," said Mina, frowning, "This fire sucks."

"Yeah, I know." Said Barry, turning away a saddened old man.

"I lost so many family photos!" said the man.

"Don't worry," said Barry, "You can always snap new photos!"

"MALCOlM!"

A woman barrels past Barry, running towards the burning building, prompting Barry to run in front of her and stop her.

"Ma'am, stop!" said Barry, "It's too dangerous!"

"MY SON!" shouted the woman, "MY SON IS IN THERE!"

"Impossible!" shouted a firefighter, "We had someone in there, they got out with everyone. If he was in there, he's probably gone!"

"N-NO!" screamed the woman, falling to her knees in front of Barry. Barry could only look down at her in anguish.

_This poor woman. She reminds me of-_

Something comes over Barry, and he stands up straight.

"I'll get him." Said Barry.

The woman looked up, tears streaming from her eyes, "W-What?"

"Barry?" said Mina, looking back, "What are you-"

Barry sprints away from the woman, kicking up a gust of wind, Running straight into the fire.

"BARRY!" shouted Mina.

* * *

"Brilliant." Said Jin, "Just Brilliant!"

"Ha! I know." Said Snart, "I'm a real genius!"

The Rogues had returned to their hideout and were currently loading their ill-gotten gains onto the boat.

"Hah, luxury boat eh?" said Scudder, "We're gonna have a relaxing few weeks at sea on our way to Thailand!"

Jin, smiling, walked up to Captain Cold.

"Hey, question, why knock out the power?" asked Jin, "Seems like an excessive response."

"It is." Said Snart, "But once you guys got caught, we had to make a big move. The power outage will keep the heroes busy, hopefully, long enough for us to make it out on the boat."

"Looks like a miniature yacht." Said Jin.

"It is." Said Snart, "It's slow, so we would probably get caught without a distraction. We were originally going to set off a small EMP that would be a mild distraction, but after attracting the heat that we did we had to take drastic measures."

"Heh, nice." Said Jin, "Let's hope the heroes are well and truly good and occupied."

* * *

Smoke filled Barry's lungs as he wandered his way through the apartment complex, flames licking the walls.

"HELLO!" shouted Barry, hoping to find the boy.

_Is this boy dead? Wouldn't he respond if he was still able too?_

Barry found himself at a crossroads, considering turning back.

_No, I can't turn back. I have to make sure. I have to hope._

Barry stormed ahead, rapidly checking every room on the floor before moving upstairs.

_Please please please, be ok._

Barry checked out a room on the third floor and came upon a distressing sight.

A man, burned to death, was lying on the floor. The fire licked his corpse as Barry looked on in horror. Mentally erasing the image, Barry ran away, continuing his search.

_Please god, don't let this boy end up like that._

Barry continued, reaching the top floor. Turning the corner of the first apartment near the top of the stairs, Barry found the boy.

The boy was lying on the ground, face first, motionless.

"No.," said Barry, dropping to his knees, "NO!"

An explosion rocks the building, causing a light fixture to fall next to Barry, causing him to stumble.

*Cough* *Cough*

Barry coughed, smoke filling his lungs.

_Gotta get out of here, smoke's making it hard to breathe._

Barry looked down at the boy in sorrow.

_No, I won't accept it. I WON'T GIVE UP ON YOU._

Grabbing the boy and lifting him up on his back, Barry ran out of the apartment only to find that the stairs leading up to the top floor had collapsed due to the fire.

"Shit." Said Barry.

Looking up, Barry saw gas leaking from a pipe in the ceiling.

_Explosion waiting to happen._

Barry looked down the hall, spotting a window at the end.

_Alright, do or die!_

Barry sprints down the hall, crashing through the window while making sure the boy doesn't get cut by the glass. Barry flies through the air, landing on his feet in front of the firemen.

"Holy shit!" shouted Singh.

"Barry!" yelped Mina.

"Malcolm!" cried the woman, running over towards Barry.

Barry lays the boy on the concrete, checking his pulse.

_He's not breathing. He inhaled too much smoke._

Barry puts his hands on the boy's chest and begins to provide chest compressions. The mother of the boy runs over, cupping the boy's face.

"Malcolm, please be ok!" said the mother, "Please please please!"

Singh pulls the woman back, "You're crowding him, he'll do his job better if you stay back, trust me."

The woman looked distressed but complied.

Barry continued his chest compressions, sweat falling off his brow.

"C'mon kid, C'mon!" said Barry, becoming more desperate.

The boy gave no response, his expression still blank.

"C'MON!" shouted Barry, now bringing his fist down on the boy's chest.

"Barry?" said Mina, walking behind Barry, "I…I think he's gone."

"NO!" shouted Barry, now practically punching the boy's chest in desperation, "I WON'T ACCEPT THAT!"

"Barry stop." Said Mina, choking her words while tears began to form in her eyes, "He's gone."

"HE'S NOT GONE UNTIL I SAY HE'S GONE DAMNIT!" shouted Barry.

The mother was now crying hysterically while Singh watched in terror.

Barry finally stopped beating the boy's chest, panting.

"I…I can save him." Said Barry.

"I'm sorry Barry," said Mina, "But you can't save everyone."

Barry looked at the boy, tears streaming down his face.

"I…I can save him, I know I can." Said Barry.

Mina put her hand on Barry's shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

Barry was on the verge of giving up when a lightbulb went off in his head. Holding up his hands, Barry began to move them at high speeds. He wasn't vibrating his molecules, just moving super fast.

"Barry?" said Mina, "What are you doing?"

"Saving a life." Said Barry, electricity now cackling from his hands.

Placing his palms on the boy's chest, Barry zaps the boy like he's using a defibrillator.

*KAFF* *KAFF*

The boy coughed, his eyes returning to life as his heart began to beat again.

"Oh Malcolm!" said the mother, running to her son.

"What *Kaff* What happened?" said the boy.

"This young man saved your life!" said the mother, looking at Barry, "Thank you so much mister hero!"

The boy looked up at Barry, his eyes lighting up, "W-What's your name mister?"

Barry smiled, his tears fading, "I'm the **FLASH**!"

The boy's eyes practically sparkled, "The Flash." He said.

Barry turned away from the boy as the mother checked for bruises, taking Mina and Singh aside.

"That was too close." Said Barry, "We can't let anything like that even get close to happening again."

"Of course," said Mina, "But how do we prevent this kind of thing all over the city?"

"We would have to be practically everywhere at once." Said Singh.

"Or the power would have to come back on." Said Mina.

Singh and Barry stared at Mina.

"What?" said Mina.

"That's a perfect idea!" said Barry, "If we get the power back on, relief efforts will be way easier."

"Yeah, but how do we do that if Weather Wizard fried the power plant?" asked Singh.

Barry was stumped, looking around the present area for inspiration. He had just about given up when he saw it.

The S.T.A.R. labs billboard over the road struck a match in Barry's head, and just like that he found his inspiration.

"THAT'S IT!" said Barry.

"Huh?" said Mina and Singh.

"The S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator." Said Barry, "The Plant might be destroyed, but the grid is still ok. If we can connect the particle accelerator to the grid and get it started, we could restore power!"

"The what?" said the duo.

"Imagine a thousand nuclear power plants, condensed into a single facility with far safer working conditions. They just finished the machine this morning!" said Barry, "This is it, this is our ticket to saving the city!"

"Are you sure Barry?" said Mina, "Animal-Man said we should help on the ground."

Barry thought for a moment, "I know what he said, that's why we have to do this. It will help on the ground."

"I'm in favor of taking the initiative," said Singh, "there's only so much I can do on the ground compared to the heroes. I'm in."

"Mina?" said Barry.

Mina looked down, thinking to herself for a minute, before looking up and nodding.

"Alright," said Barry, "Then let's get the power back on!"

Barry grabs Singh and Mina by the shoulders, speeding them off, unaware that the boy Barry saved was watching him leave.

"Mommy!" said the boy, "When I grow up, I want to be just like the Flash!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty proud of this one, I hope you find it good!


	27. Rise Of The Rogues: Turning On The Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry and Co have come up with a way to restore power to the city, but they'll have to get through Harrison Wells to do it.

Barry raced through the city, Singh and Mina in tow.

"Alright Barry, what's the plan?" asked Mina.

"We get the particle generator started." Said Barry.

"Yeah, but how?" asked Mina.

"We link up with whatever staff are still there and help get it started!" said Barry.

"But what if no one's home?" asked Mina.

Barry paused, "Um, I hadn't actually thought of that."

"I think someone's home." Said Singh, his eyes closed.

Barry stopped in front of the S.T.A.R. Labs building, right at the front door. Singh walked to the side, taking a few deep breaths.

"You ok?" asked Mina.

"I'm fine," said Singh, his eyes still closed, "I just need a minute for my brain to realize the world stopped spinning."

"Um, guys." Said Barry, "Something's up."

The entrance was strewn with unconscious bodies, all dressed in hoodies and red bandanas. The entrance was flanked by an intercom and a camera.

"Um, what happened here?" asked Barry.

"They were looters, and I swear if you are too I will taze your ass to mercury."

A voice sounded over the intercom, signaling that someone was inside.

"Oh!" said Barry, "Someone's here!"

"Yeah, and the outside non-lethal defense turrets are also here, they've repelled at least 5 looters, and they've got at least another 10 charges left. If you want in, It's not going to happen." Said the voice.

"Wait!" said Mina, "We're here to help!"

"Help with what?" said the voice, "No help needed here, go help somewhere else!"

"She means help the city!" said Barry, "The particle accelerator could easily provide enough power for the city to drastically reduce the strain on relief efforts!"

"Ok, that's a pretty good idea, but how can I know I can trust you?" asked the voice.

"I'm a detective, I have a badge." Said Singh, who finally recovered, "Let me-"

"LET ME IN!"

Another looter sprinted towards the door out of nowhere, knocking Singh over.

"Get him!" shouted Barry.

A turret pops out of the walls outside the Lab, blasting the looter with a burst of electricity and blowing him onto his back.

"Oh god!" cried the man in pain, "My abs!"

A second blast elicits a feminine yelp from the looter before he falls unconscious.

"Detective, show me your badge." Said the voice, "if I find it credible, I'll let you in."

Singh walked up to the camera, flashing his badge. After a few minutes, the trio heard footsteps walking towards the door. The door swings open, revealing a middle-aged man with graying temples.

"Come with me." Said the man.

Barry's face suddenly became very elated, "Holy crap! You're the CEO of S.T.A.R. Labs. You're Harrison Wells!"

"Thanks for the recognition, now get inside before another looter shows up." Sniped Wells.

The trio walk inside, following Wells as he locks the door and leads them down a lit hallway.

"Where are all other scientists?" asked Barry.

"I had them go home." Said Wells, "They're safer there."

"How do you still have power!" asked Mina.

"We have our own emergency generator." Said Wells, "In events like this, losing power could result in a disaster even worse than a simple power outage."

"How bad?" asked Singh.

"Think Chernobyl, but with radiation spreading at about 5 times the radius and 10 times as deadly." Said Wells.

"Jesus!" said Singh.

"I know, we've averted such a disaster at least 3 times now." Said Wells.

"YOU WHAT!" shouted Mina.

"Calm down, science always comes with risk." Said Wells, reaching a door at the end of the hall, "And risk, well, risk results in reward."

Wells opens the door, revealing a massive machine with a circular interior loop.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Wells, "Welcome to the particle accelerator."

The trio stood in awe of the machine, despite only seeing a fraction of it.

"It's massive!" said Mina.

"I know!" said Barry, "It must take an insane amount of power to do anything with this thing."

"Yes," said Wells, "and unfortunately, that's exactly the problem."

"Huh?" said Mina.

Wells begins to lead the trio along the loop, into a side compartment that functions as a control center. The center was filled with various control panels.

"The biggest problem with the particle accelerator is that it requires an immense amount of power to start." Explained Wells, "During its normal operation, the accelerator powers itself, but when it's starting up it requires outside power."

"So that means.." said Barry.

"We can't provide any power to the city." Said Wells, "Not without a massive influx of power."

"But….we came so far." Said Mina.

"Damn, did we really waste our time." Said Singh, "We better get back out there."

"There must be something we can do." Said Barry, thinking to himself.

_The particle generator needs power, energy to get started….Wait, THAT'S IT!_

"Will the accelerator accept kinetic energy?" asked Barry.

"What?" said Wells, "What did you just say, because I thought I heard you ask if the accelerator accepted kinetic energy."

"You heard right!" said Barry.

Wells put a hand on his face, "Let me make this clear, the accelerator can collect kinetic energy in the loop, BUT it would take an object moving at speeds faster than a bullet at a continuous rate to power the device, and that's with the energy reflectors on to lower the requirements."

"Ha," said Mina, "We're lucky we have Barry then!"

"What do you mean?" asked Wells, "I'm missing something aren't I."

"Barry can run really fast!" said Mina, "I bet he could power the accelerator."

"Hmm," said Barry, "I don't think I've ever run that fast before, at least not while I'm in control of my speed, but I think I can do it!"

"Great," said Wells, "If that's the plan, then I can set up the loop to collect your energy, it should be safe to move around in even when you're providing the proper energy."

"Wait," said Singh, "The city is still tearing itself apart while we're getting the power up and running, we have to let them know somehow, it could stem the rioting."

"I could patch the intercom system into the citywide audio systems." Said Wells.

"But the speakers out in the city are unpowered!" said Mina.

"Hmph," said Wells, "I can reroute the emergency generators power to the city grid to temporarily power the speakers, but I think my delivery might not be up to snuff."

"I'll do it." Said Singh, "I've been practicing for when I become a police captain, which should hopefully be soon."

"Alright," said Wells, "The pink girl will assist me with routing the power and starting the accelerator."

"I have a name." said Mina, "Come to think of it, we never introduced ourselves."

"Fine, I'm Harrison Wells, founder, and CEO of S.T.A.R. Labs." Said Wells, "Now who are you?"

"Mina Ashido, hero name Pinky!" said Mina.

"Barry Allen, her name Flash!" said Barry.

"Detective Singh." Said Singh.

"What, no pretentious alter ego?" joked Wells.

"No, just Singh." Growled Singh.

"Well, Singh, grab a mic from the equipment room further down the loop." Said Wells, "Pinky, with me, I'll teach you how to operate these panels. Flash, get out there and start opening the energy reflectors. Unless you want to have to run faster than the speed of sound I suggest you make sure they're all active."

"Gotcha!" said Barry.

"Will do." Said Singh.

"Ok!" said Mina.

"Alright, then get to work!" said Wells, "We have a city to save!"

* * *

"We're almost done loading up the boat!" said Heatwave.

The Rogues pile of loot has almost entirely been relocated to the miniature yacht, signaling that their escape was near.

"Jin!" said Snart, sitting in front of a desk with a radio on top, "Get over here."

Jin, who finished lugging a back of cash onto the boat, walked over to Snart's desk.

"Yeah?" said Jin.

"I don't believe I've formally inducted you." Said Snart.

"Inducted me into what?" asked Jin.

"Into the Rogues." Said Cold.

Jin's eyes widened, "Do you mean that….I passed?!"

"Yep, welcome to the Rogues kid!" said Snart, getting up and shaking Jin's hand.

"Oh god!" said Jin, "This is the best day of my life!"

Jin excitedly ran to the other Rogues, jubilating about his acceptance into the Rogues.

"Heh." Chuckled Snart, "Kid's got a great future with us."

Snart's almost cheery demeanor dropped almost instantly, however, when static began to come through the radio.

"The hell?" said Scudder, "How's that thing got power?"

"It's battery-powered," said Snart, "And tuned in to the emergency frequencies so we're up to date on the emergency services."

" _Bzzt_ \- this is Detective Singh!"

A voice emanated from the radio, drawing the rest of the Rogues over to the table.

"We're currently working on restoring energy to the city using the newly constructed Particle Generator- _Bzzt_ \- It'll bring power pack within the hour- _Bzzt_ \- rest assured citizens, relief is coming!"

The transmission stops, leaving the Rogues silent.

"Um, why is everyone so worried?" asked Trickster, "So what if they get the power on earlier than we thought, we can still cut and run!"

"You don't think about anything do you Jesse?" said Lisa.

"What the hell?" said Trickster, "the power's still down, let's leave now."

"You don't get it Jesse." said Snart, "If they get the power on early, then relief will be more efficient. With more efficient relief, they can turn resources towards hunting us. If we don't have at least a day or two ahead of them, I'm pretty goddamn sure they'll catch up to our slow-ass yacht and put us all in the slammer!"

"Um," said Trickster, "Maybe we should have gotten a faster boat?"

"Dumbass," said Mardon, "I've done getaways before linking up with you guys, if it was just us then a faster boat would be possible, but with all the loot we have, it ain't happening."

"What do we do?" asked Heatwave.

Snart turned to Jin, "Do you know anything about the accelerator?"

"I've read up on it yes." Said Jin, "What do you have planned?"

Snart smirked, "I've got an idea, let's break some nerd glasses."

* * *

"Reflector plate number 30 is opened!" said Barry, "I wish the servos would work both ways."

"Good, move onto the next one." Said Wells over the speakers, ignoring the complaint.

Barry continued down the loop, opening each and every reflector plate.

"He's smart," said Wells, "He could have made a good scientist if he chose that path, it's a shame."

"Yeah!" said Mina, "Wait, what do you mean it's a shame?"

"It's a shame people aren't seeing the value in being a scientist anymore." Said Wells.

"Huh?" said Mina, "What do you mean?"

"People these days are obsessed with heroes, everyone wants to be one." Said Wells, "Nobody wants to or sees the value in becoming a scientist, even though it's inarguably a more important job."

"What?!" shouted Mina, "Prove it!"

"Did heroes discover the known universe? Cure the Flu? Log all the different species? Science is how we as a race move forward."

"Hmph," Mina pouted, "I…can't argue with that, but I will say that being a Hero is still an important job!"

"I never argued it wasn't," said Wells.

"You bet!" said Mina, "Look at Barry, he's helped beat villains, kept people safe, even saved a child's life today!"

"Heh, you sound like his personal cheerleader." Said Wells.

Mina's face grew red, "I AM NOT?!"

"HAHAHAHA!" laughed Wells.

"STOP LAUGHING!" shouted Mina.

"I'm-I'm sorry, that was too good." Said Wells.

"Hmph," said Mina, "I still don't think I convinced you."

"I'm already convinced." Said Wells.

"Prove it!" said Mina.

"Prove it?" said Wells, baffled, "Well I…Ok, let me tell you a story instead. My wife and I were on a drive at night right, it's raining cats and dogs. When suddenly, we cross paths with Endeavor fighting a villain."

Mina listened on, unsure where this was going.

"So, my wife swerves out of the way to avoid getting us killed, but we get into a collision with another vehicle." Said Wells, "That accident would paralyze my wife from the waist down."

"I'm so sorry." Said Mina.

"Don't worry, you'll like how it ends." Said Wells, "She's bleeding out, and so am I. I think, this is the last time I'm going to see her alive, so I take her hand."

"This is getting, um, depressing." Said Mina.

"Hey, listen till the end." Said Wells, "But before I black out, I see a flaming figure pull us from the wreckage. When I woke up next to my wife in the hospital a week later, I knew what had happened. Endeavor saved us."

"Wow!" said Mina.

"I know the importance of heroes well, if not for them I wouldn't get to do my presentations with my wife!" said Wells, "No obsession is healthy, but at least heroes bring about some semblance of positive change. I hope you can do the same."

Mina beamed, "I'll do my best!"

"Thanks," said Wells, "Now help me calibrate the reflector panels."

Mina and Wells flip some switches, causing the reflector panels to make a whirring sound.

"Barry, how does it look down there?" asked Wells.

"Pretty good!" said Barry, "I've opened the last one!"

"Great, we should be good to go!" said Wells, "Get ready to run."

Barry walked up to the reflector panel, admiring its craftsmanship.

_This is it, Barry, this is the key!_

It was then that Barry noticed a smudge on the panel. Licking his thumb, Barry attempted to rub the smudge out, but it wouldn't go away.

_This is bothering the hell out of me._

Then the smudge got bigger.

"What the?"

The smudge slowly formed into a figure, a figure with a glowing blue gun.

"SHIT!" shouted Barry, dodging out of the panel's way just before a blast of ice shot out of the mirror, freezing the ground beneath him.

"Barry!" said Wells over the intercom, "What's going on?!"

One by one, the Rogues all stepped out of the panel and into the accelerator.

"Hope you point-dexters brought pocket protectors!", said Snart.

"MINA!" shouted Barry, "Lockdown the loop!"

"What? Why?!" asked Mina.

"Just do it!" shouted Barry.

Mina slammed her hand onto a big red button, locking down all the doors leading out of the loop.

"Wells, close the panels remotely!" shouted Barry.

"But you'll have to open them all again manually!" said Wells.

"Do it!" shouted Barry.

Wells flipped a variety of switches, closing the panels to all the reflectors.

"Well well well," said Snart, "We meet again Flash!"

"Why the hell are you here Cold?!" said Barry, "I guarantee that you just earned yourself a one-way ticket to jail."

"Hah, we need to make sure the power's out for a while if we want to escape, besides," said Snart, "We're not trapped in here with you, you're trapped in here with us."

The Rogues surround Barry, closing in.

_Uh oh._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading kind stranger!


	28. Rise Of The Rogues: Around The Track

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The epic finale to the Rise Of The Rogues, as Barry finds himself Backed into a corner, one must wonder how he can outrun danger this time!
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to Gardner Fox.

"Barry?!" said Mina over her earpiece, "What's going on?!"

"Nothing good!" said Barry, the Rogues closing in around him, "I'm surrounded."

"RUN BARRY!" shouted Wells over the intercom, "Don't let them catch you."

Barry's eyes darted around, finding an opening between Captain Cold and Heatwave. Racing forward, Barry passed between them before they could react. While both attempted to send fire and ice after Barry, he managed to dodge the blasts as he ran down the loop out of sight.

"Shit." Said Snart, "Bastard got away."

Snart turned to the rest of the Rogues, "Alright, this is it, the final stretch, we do this, and we can be on our merry way!"

"What's the plan?" asked Mardon.

"You, Rory, and I will chase down the Flash while Lisa and Scudder try to hit him from the other end." Explained Snart.

"So he's bound to hit us at some point." Said Lisa, "Smart plan Bro."

"Wait," said Trickster, "What'll I do?"

"Yeah, I'd like to know what I'll be doing too." Said Jin.

"Jin, you'll pry open the panel again, we may need a quick exit." Said Snart, "And Jesse, you've got the most important job here, sabotaging this place."

"I like where this is going but could you elaborate?" said Trickster.

"Find a control panel or something and make sure this place can never startup." Said Snart, "Now that we have all our assignments, let's move out, cause we've got a hero to catch."

Jin pulls out his wrench and begins working on the panel while the rest of the Rogues split up.

* * *

"Barry, are you ok?" asked Mina.

"I'm fine," said Barry, "But the Rogues are still in the loop, I don't think I can jumpstart the accelerator with them still here."

"Just keep running!" said Wells, "We'll figure something out."

Wells and Mina hear knocking, turning to find that Singh was rapping his fist on the sealed door.

"Hey, guys!" said Singh, "I need help getting in, there's some sort of lockdown."

Wells walks up to the door, "Lockdown override, code Tess."

The door slides open, allowing Singh in, before closing and sealing behind him.

"What the hell is going on?!" said Singh.

"The Rogues are here!" said Mina.

"What?!" said Singh, "How did they get in, and why are they here?!"

"One of them has some sort of technology that allows the Rogues to travel through reflective surfaces." Said Mina, "And I think Barry said something about ruining their escape plan."

"Turning the power on would hamper their ability to escape," said Wells, "That's what I can gather at least."

"But how did they know we were turning the power back on?" wondered Mina.

Singh frowned, "They must have heard my broadcast. Even if it averted some panic, maybe it wasn't the wisest decision."

"No, it wasn't"

Suddenly, an air vent cover falls to the ground, shortly followed by Trickster landing in the middle of the room.

"What's up guys?!" Said Trickster while he gleefully grabbed Wells and used him as a shield, "Hey, Mr. Wells, quick question. Is there a self-destruct button anywhere on these control panels?"

"Put him down!" said Singh, drawing his service pistol.

Trickster responded by pulling out a jack card and pressing it against Wells' neck, causing it to bleed, "Sure, after you put down your gun!"

Mina assumed a battle stance, ready to fight, "You won't stop us, I'll make sure of that."

"Yeah?!" said Trickster, "And how'll you do it?!"

Mina made a determined face, "You'll see."

* * *

Barry sprinted along the loop, keeping a steady pace.

_Can't let them catch me, I have to play it smart. Maybe if I-_

"GOTCHA!"

Barry trips over a foreign object, later recognized as a leg, and slams into the side of the loop, dazed. Looking up, he feels a pair of hands grab him by his shirt and hoist him off the ground.

"Let's see how much you can take!" said Mirror Master.

Mirror Master raises his fist, delivering a punch that sends Barry stumbling to the side. Before he can recover, Golden glide delivers a kick to Barry's jaw, knocking him to the ground.

"Gah." Grunted Barry, tasting blood in his mouth.

"Two hits?" said Mirror Master, "C'mon, where's that smug attitude from before?"

Barry gets on his hands and knees, gritting his teeth, before charging Mirror Master. Barry tackles him, driving him into the wall. The force of the impact knocks the air out of Mirror Master's lungs and makes a massive smashing sound as the panel crumples from the impact, crushing the circuitry and wires behind the wall.

"Sam!" shouted Golden Glider, kicking Barry in the back and knocking him away from Mirror Master.

"Sam, are you ok?!" asked Glider.

"I'm fine baby," said Mirror Master, "C'mon, we gotta finish this kid together."

Before Glider can help Mirror Master up, Barry leaps at Glider at super speed, kicking her in the face and sending her sprawling onto the floor.

"Lisa!" shouted Mirror Master, "You're dead kid!"

Barry, taking the opportunity, runs back the way he came, leaving Mirror Master behind.

_Too Close, I have to keep my distance from them._

As Barry began to make his way back, he felt an object lightly hit his body.

"What the?" said Barry.

As Barry began to feel more objects hitting his body, he realized what was happening.

"HAIL?!" yelped Barry.

Barry tumbled, being assaulted by a barrage of ice pellets. The pellets struck the side of the loop as well, making a hard-enough impact to put holes through the panels and wreak havoc on the circuitry behind them. Barry glanced up to find Weather Wizard towering above him, in flight. Heatwave backed him up, firing a stream of fire at Barry.

"Stay down if you know what's good for you kid." Said Weather Wizard.

"Yeah! Or get a taste of this heat!" shouted Heatwave.

Barry shielded his head, trying to stand up.

"I'm not to good at staying down," said Barry, "But maybe you should take your own advice."

"Huh?" said Weather Wizard.

Barry pointed his fists at Weather Wizard, rotating them rapidly to create a tornado, blowing the hail right back at Weather Wizard.

"Gah!" said Weather Wizard, shielding his body from the attack. Much like the initial barrage, the ice pellets also make contact with the loop walls, destroying the wiring behind the metal.

"Bastard!" shouted Heatwave, turning up the intensity of the fire and beginning to melt the metal off the side of the loop. Dodging and sliding between the stream of fire, Barry delivers a super-powered punch to Heatwave's gut. Heatwave's eyes bulge out of their sockets as he flied onto his back, allowing Barry to sprint past him and further down the loop.

"C'mon!" shouted Barry, "You guys are the famous Rogues, yet you can't catch one guy?!"

"We'll get you punk!" shouted back Weather Wizard.

* * *

"I've got the guy helping start this thing." said Trickster, "If I off him, you won't be able to start it."

"Put him down," demanded Singh, "or I'll be forced to put you down."

"Even if you get a clean shot off," said Trickster, "My hand slipping is enough to open poor Mr. Wells' throat."

Mina thought hard, furiously thinking for a solution.

_What do I do?! He's got Mr. Wells as a hostage! Think Mina think! Remember the briefing, what does this Trickster guy do special? What do the Rogues do special._

Suddenly, Mina thought of the solution, and smiled.

"The hell are you smiling about?" asked Trickster.

"You won't kill him." Said Mina, confident.

"And why's that?" said Trickster.

"Because you're a Rogue, and the Rogues don't kill." Said Mina, "It's your number one rule."

Trickster finally shut his mouth, the statement leaving him speechless.

"Hah, got nothing to say?" said Mina.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" bellowed Trickster, laughing his head off to the horror of the rest of the room.

"Wha-what's so funny?!" said Mina.

"Oh, Oh missy," said Trickster, tears of laughter beginning to form, "The Rogue code doesn't ban killing, it states that we only kill if it's us or them!"

It was Mina's turn to be speechless.

"Oh, oh god that was hilarious," laughed Trickster, "But Snart will forgive me since our entire escape plan hinges on keeping the power off. Now, tell me how to-"

*BANG*

"ARGH!" screamed Trickster.

While Mina had distracted Trickster, Singh had lined up a shot on Trickster's hand. Dropping the jack, Trickster let go of Wells, allowing him to escape, while grasping his now hurt hand.

"You Bastard!" shouted Trickster, pulling out a yo-yo.

"Great!" said Mina, "I wonder what the twist of this toy is?!"

Swinging the yo-yo around, Trickster tosses the yo-yo at Singh, who dives out of the way as the yo-yo explodes.

"Explosive yo-yos?!" said Wells, keeping back, "Who would have guessed?!"

"I got another one for ya!" shouted Trickster, pulling another one out and swinging it around towards Mina.

"Not this time!" shouted Mina, throwing acid at the yarn of the yo-yo.

The yarn burned away, the yo-yo flies away from its intended target, right into the control panel.

"NO!" shouted Wells.

The yo-yo makes contact with the panel, exploding and leaving behind a mess of metal and open fuses and wires.

"Hah!" said Trickster, "Maybe my job here is-"

Mina leaps forward, delivering a punch to Trickster's cheek and knocking him out.

"That'll shut him up!" said Mina.

Wells sprints over to the now damaged control panel, attempting to discern how bad the damage is.

"Please!" said Wells, "Don't let this accident start-"

A massive whirring sound becomes audible as the emergency lights inside the loop turn off, making way for flashing red and blue lights.

"What the hell is happening?!" said Singh.

"Something's wrong!" said Mina, "I can feel it."

"Yeah, something is wrong." said Wells, "The accelerator is starting, and we're not ready."

* * *

Barry continued to run along the loop, hoping to make it back to the others.

_I shouldn't have separated myself from the others, It basically made my fight 7 V 1. I have to think about this._

Suddenly, the main lights of the loop turned off, replaced by flashing red and blue lights.

_What the?_

Barry suddenly found himself approaching the control room, which was jutting into the loop, spotting the others in the observation windows. Barry also spotted Jin tampering with a panel using a wrench.

_Huh, easy target._

Barry raced towards Jin, body-slamming him using his immense speed and practically crushing him against the wall.

"GRAGH!"

Jin made a strange noise that seemed like a grunt and a choking sound at the same time before he fell to the ground, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.

"Um, maybe I hit him too hard." Said Barry.

"Barry!" said Mina through the earpiece, "You're alright!"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Said Barry, "I think I left most of the Rogues behind in the loop. Why didn't you contact me?"

"Trickster got into the room and fried the controls," said Mina, "But we took him down."

"Huh, I guess that explains the lights." Said Barry, "But what do the lights mean?"

"It means that the accelerator is starting up," said Wells, "And because we weren't ready to jumpstart it normally, it means that a disaster worse than Chernobyl might be upon us!"

"What?!" said Barry, "Why?!"

"I never told any of you this," said Wells, "But when powering itself, the particle accelerator uses dark matter."

"Dark Matter?!" yelped Barry, "Are you insane?!"

"What's that?" asked Mina.

"Dark Matter is a highly radioactive variation of matter normally found in space!" said Barry, "It's a risky power source, mainly because it's deadly to humans!"

"That sounds bad!" said Mina.

"It is!" said Wells, "Normally the particle accelerator would keep Dark Matter levels down on its own, using it to power itself. But since it's off, it's trying to use dark matter to start itself up."

"What's wrong with that?" asked Singh.

"The problem is that the accelerator was built to burn dark matter at a continuous rate, it can't handle the buildup required to start itself." Said Wells, "It'll overload itself with dark matter trying to start itself, which will cause an explosion of dark matter that's twice the radius of a nuclear bomb and 5 times as deadly!"

"Oh shit!" said Singh, "Can we turn it off?!"

"I would if I could," said Wells, "but this panel is unusable, and due to the lockdown I won't be able to reach the other panel in time. Besides, I doubt it'll work."

"Why?" asked Mina.

"I had a quick damage assessment of the loop using my analytics glasses," said Wells, holding his glasses up, "Whatever Barry did to escape the Rogues, it's damaged enough of the wires inside to make sending signals using a control panel impossible."

"So I set up a bomb," said Barry, his eyes growing wide, "That'll kill this whole city?"

"Maybe, but we'll be outta here by then."

A massive blast of ice hits Barry from the back, freezing him solid. Barry struggles to turn his head as Captain Cold enters his view, along with the rest of the Rogues.

"Not so fast now eh?" said Cold.

Barry's face turns to anger as he attempts to vibrate his molecules to shatter the ice. However, as he attempts to break free, the ice only seems to get colder, keeping him in place. Barry tries harder to break free, putting his all into vibrating his molecules in an attempt to escape. Instead, Barry's skin explodes open in a hundred places, causing blood to flow out of his body and soak the ice a dark red. Barry screamed out in pain, the injury feeling like a million knives slashing his skin all over his body.

"BARRY!" screamed Mina, sprinting towards the door and attempting to wrestle it open.

"What the hell are you doing?!" said Wells.

"I'm going to help Barry!" said Mina, "So let me out!"

"So they can capture you too?!" said Wells, "Think straight Pinky!"

"I-I have to help him!" said Mina, desperately tugging at the door.

"Mina!" said Singh, grabbing her and dragging her away from the door, "It's no use!"

Mina struggled against him, "NO! let me help!"

Cold walked in front of Barry, smirking.

"What." groaned Barry, wincing at the intense pain, "Is this."

"I noticed that you escaped my ice back in the alley," said Cold, "Figured you had some special ability, so I tinkered with my Cold gun, made the ice more…Intense. How's it feel?"

Barry groaned, his breathing rapid and shallow, "It's cold."

Cold smiled, "Heh, not the response I was expecting."

"If you want me to say I'm dying, which I most certainly am," said Barry, "Then you aren't gonna get it."

"Shut up for a second," said Cold, turning to kick Jin, who was still lying on the ground, "Wake up Jin, and get back to work."

"Ow," groaned Jin, "on it boss."

Jin got up, returning to work on the panel as Cold returned his attention to Barry.

"Why are you doing this?" said Barry, "This only helps people, it doesn't deter you."

"Actually," said Cold, "It does. If the power comes on early, then the heroes get more time to chase us. It drastically lowers our chances of getting out clean."

"Clean? CLEAN?!" shouted Barry, "You took hostages at the bank, you hurt fellow heroes and my friends, and the power outage you caused almost killed a little boy!"

"Hey!" said Cold, "We didn't wrap our hands around the kid's neck, if he almost died it's his fault."

Barry lost his composure his anger boiling over.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" shouted Barry, "You claim to have this honor code where you don't kill, you get away clean without hurting anyone, but it's all a lie! You're all just a pack of villains, driven by the same selfish desires for fame and money!"

The Rogues went silent, a sense of Hypocricy taking root.

"I've heard enough." Said Cold, taking out his cold gun and aiming it directly at Barry's face before looking up at the control room windows.

"I know that if Jesse did his job, he would be here right now." Said Cold, "And since he isn't here, I assume you've got him up there. Hand him over and I won't ice your friend here."

"DON'T DO IT!" shouted Barry.

"Shut up!" shouted Cold, slamming the cold gun across Barry's temple.

* * *

"What do we do?!" said Singh, "Do we make the trade?"

"I doubt they would kill us all, considering their code," said Wells, "It might be wise to do it."

Trickster laid unconscious in the corner of the room, handcuffed to a support pole.

"We can't!" said Mina, "Barry told us not to!"

"I dunno if Barry is in a good enough position to give orders," said Singh, "Besides, this trade could save his life."

Mina thought for a moment, "I, I understand," said Mina, "But please, give Barry a chance!"

"How can you be so sure?!" said Singh, "The odds he can get out of this are awful!"

"I just-" said Mina, struggling to find words, "I know Barry, he's gotten out of every bad situation so far, he'll get out of this one."

Singh weighed her words for a moment, "I'll give him five minutes to make a move, then we make the trade."

Mina hung her head, "…Fine, five minutes."

* * *

"I need an answer now!" shouted Cold, "Unless you want the Flash in popsicle form?!"

"Give us 5 minutes!" shouted Singh.

"Bullshit!" shouted Cold, "I won't give you a chance to make a plan!"

Cold pressed the muzzle of the cold gun to Barry's temple.

"He's going under!" shouted Cold, "In 3, 2-"

"DONE!" shouted Jin, pulling the metal plate off to reveal the reflective energy panel.

"Good!" said Cold, "Now we just need Jesse."

Jin nodded, turning back to the energy panel, and that's when he noticed something strange.

A spark of electricity, making its way in between pieces of open-wire.

"What the?" said Jin, "Hey guys, something's up-"

Suddenly, the spark becomes a massive bolt, striking the wrench that Jin is holding.

"AAAAAGH!" screamed Jin as the electricity makes it's way throughout the wrench up his arm and into his body, before an explosion separates Jin from the wrench, knocking him unconscious.

"Oh, shit!" shouted Mirror Master, "What was that?!"

Suddenly, metal panels began to fall from the walls and the roof as bolts of electricity began striking from inside the loop walls to other surfaces, such as the floor and walls.

"What's happening?!" shouted Mina.

"The first isolated Dark Matter wave is here!" shouted Wells.

"This got a whole lot more dangerous!" shouted Mardon in response to the electricity.

"How the hell do we get out of this!" shouted Rory.

"We grab Jesse and go!" shouted Snart.

"Forget Jesse," said Lisa, "We should-"

A bolt strikes Lisa in the back, creating a massive flash of light and blinding the other Rogues.

"Gah!" grunted Snart.

When the light cleared, Lisa was sprawled on her front, her head looking sideways. Her nose was bleeding and her back was heavily burned as she lay, barely conscious with shallow breath.

"LISA!" shouted Scudder.

"SCUDDER!" shouted Snart, "GET US OUT OF HERE!"

Scudder sprints to the open panel, pulling out his mirror device to open a portal. However, just as he's about to do so, another bolt of electricity hits the gadget as it's interfacing with the panel, causing the device to explode.

"AGH!" shouted Scudder.

Suddenly, Scudder's body begins to warp, like the reflection in a funhouse mirror, as he begins to get sucked into the panel.

"AAAGH, HELP!" screamed Scudder, "NO NO NO, SOMEBODY SAVE ME!"

Scudder reached his hand out, causing Mardon to grab it, only for the hand to slip as Scudder's body warped into a strange shape as he is sucked into the panel. Upon Scudder's complete entrance into the panel, it explodes, throwing glass everywhere.

"AGH!" shouted Mardon, getting cut, "I'm gonna try to control the electricity!"

Mardon lifts his wand, floating into the air as Snart waves his hands at Mardon.

"MARDON STOP!" shouted Cold, "DON'T-"

The electricity strikes Mardon's wand, causing Mardon to scream in pain as the wand explodes, sending an unconscious Mardon crashing to the ground.

"NO!" shouted Snart.

"THIS SHIT ISN'T STOPPING!" shouted Rory, "Maybe if I-"

Before Rory could finish, electricity strikes his heat gun, causing it to explode. The force of the explosion blows Snart back and sends Barry flying, breaking him from the ice. Despite heavy bleeding, Barry gets up, turning to find that Rory was screaming as he was engulfed in flames. Acting quickly, Barry ran in circles around Rory, snuffing the flames and depriving Rory of oxygen, causing him to fall unconscious. After Barry finished putting Rory out, he observed Rory's body as the electricity continued to rock the loop like a storm.

Rory had been burned before, but after being engulfed in his own flames, his skin was so badly burnt he didn't even look human anymore. Barry winced at the sight.

"RAAAAAAH!"

Snart screamed a war cry as he tackled Barry to the ground.

"My team is in shambles!" shouted Snart, striking Barry across the mouth, "And my sister might be dead!" he screamed, striking Barry across the mouth again, breaking it, "ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Snart roared as he bashed Barry's nose in with the gun, breaking it. Standing up, he pointed the gun at Barry's head, "Any last words?"

Barry got on his palms, spitting blood from his mouth before looking up at Snart, "You brought this on yourself."

Snart's face contorted to anger as he put his finger on the trigger, but just as he's about to pull it, a bolt of electricity strikes the gun, causing an explosion and blowing Snart back. Barry curls into a ball, shielding himself from a massive dispelling of ice mist.

Once the mist clears, Barry opened his eyes. Getting on his feet, Barry looked over to see that Snart was laying on his back, unconscious.

"That," said Barry, "was a freaking miracle."

"Barry," said Wells, "That was far from a miracle."

Barry frowned, "What was that?"

"An isolated dark matter wave," said Wells, "It seems like the exposed wires and circuitry directed the dark matter into the loop, keeping it isolated."

"Huh," said Barry, "I must have been lucky to not get hit."

"You were," said Wells, "But the next wave won't be isolated. The build-up from the dark matter means that the loop won't be able to contain the next wave."

"How do we stop it?" asked Barry.

Wells sighed, "We can't."

"What?!" said Barry, "Why not?!"

"Because the containment units are broken Barry, and the particle accelerator isn't exactly on so it can't use up the dark matter." Said Wells, "I have a bunker under the lab, if we get there in time, we can survive."

Barry looked at the ground, terror on his face.

"I-I can't let it end this way." Said Barry.

"It's the only outcome, Barry," said Wells, "Please, come with us."

Barry closed his eyes, tears beginning to fall.

_After everything, this is how it ends? I just started!_

Barry's eyes shot open, wide as dinner plates.

"Started. That's it." Said Barry.

Barry kneels down, getting on his hands into a sprinter stance.

"Barry?" said Singh, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to start the particle accelerator!" answered Barry.

"Barry, that's impossible," said Wells, "Though enough kinetic energy could jumpstart the accelerator and dispel the dark matter, the amount of energy needed would be unobtainable. It was a tall order with the collector panels, but without them, you would need enough speed to break the sound barrier ten times over."

"Besides," said Singh, "Look at you, you're not in the best shape to run."

Barry glanced at himself, observing the many cuts caused by attempting to escape Cold's ice. The wounds were still fresh, still spurting out blood.

"I have to try." Said Barry, determined.

"Barry, don't do it!" said Mina, "This doesn't seem possible, plus, even if you manage to do it, you might die!"

"True, with wounds as serious as that, going at those speeds will surely kill you." Said Wells.

"Barry please," said Mina, "Come with us to the bunker, we can all live."

"Who's more important Mina," said Barry, "Me, or the lives of everyone in the city."

Mina went silent, a look of worry.

"If there's a chance, no matter how small, that this could succeed, then I have to do it." Said Barry, "If I back out, if I save myself instead of everyone else, then I'm no hero."

"Barry…" said Mina.

"People are counting on me, Derek, Animal-Man, you, that little boy." Said Barry.

Mina's worry didn't dissipate.

"Please Mina," said Barry, "I need you to trust me on this."

Mina took a deep breath, sighing, "I trust you, Barry."

Barry breathed a sigh of relief, "Thanks Mina, I know that if you were in my place you would do the same."

Barry takes a deep breath, keeping his focus on the path ahead of him.

"Two minutes until dark matter explosion." Announced Wells.

Barry closed his eyes, feeling the speed inside.

_You're fast enough, now go prove it!_

Barry shoots off like gunshot, racing along the track at high speeds. Blood continues to spurt and leak from his body as he stumbles about, struggling to gain speed.

"It's as I feared," said Wells, "He's not fast enough."

"C'mon Barry." Said Mina.

Barry stumbles again, almost tripping and falling over.

_Ugh, this isn't working, I'm not going nearly fast enough._

Barry closed his eyes, once again feeling the speed.

_I remember, back at the quirk gym, that I went so fast I outpaced Ingenium. If I do that, let the speed take me instead of keeping it held back, then maybe-_

Barry exhales, letting the speed take him, and it's as if he entered a whole new experience.

*KRAKABOOM*

"Jesus Christ!" shouted Singh, covering his ears, "What was that?!"

"He just broke the sound barrier!" said Wells, pulling up a data table, "And not just that, his speed is increasing at an exponential rate."

"WOOHOO!" shouted Mina, "He's doing it!"

Barry continued to fly through the loop, going faster and faster, his vision blurring.

"WOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Barry felt his body stretch and contort as if reality was stretching him like a rubber toy. He felt lightning radiating off of him, trailing behind him as he kept going faster.

"He's almost there!" said Wells.

"C'mon Barry!" said Mina.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGH!" screamed Barry, a massive flash of yellow lightning and light engulfing his body and blinding the trio in the control room.

* * *

"Ugh," said Mina, getting up off the floor, "am I dead?"

"Unfortunately no," said Wells, standing up, "we're all still alive and breathing."

Mina rubbed her eyes, clearing them, "Did-did Barry do it?"

"Hey!" said Singh, "My phone has cell coverage."

"Really?!" said Mina.

"Yeah," said Singh, "It's morning, and in emergency news, they're covering that relief efforts are almost complete!"

"And even without working controls, the particle accelerator is working as intended, powering the city?" said Wells, "It's a damn miracle!"

"That means that," Mina's eyes widened, "BARRY DID IT!"

Mina leapt into the air, punching at the sky.

"YEAH!" cheered Mina before putting her hand to her earpiece, "Barry, did you hear that? You did it!"

Instead of Barry's voice, Mina was only answered with static.

"Barry?" said Mina.

She was answered with more Static.

"Um, guys," said Mina, "Something's wrong with Barry's earpiece."

"It could be that he shorted it our while producing so much kinetic energy." Said Wells.

"I'll go check on him." Said Mina, walking to the door to the loop.

"Let me get that open for you," said Wells, pushing a button. The door, instead of opening, remained shut.

"Huh, guess the wiring is loose." Said Wells.

"No need," said Mina, using her acid to melt an opening in the door, "I opened the door."

As Mina stepped through and into the loop, Wells sighed, "You didn't have to ruin the door."

Mina walked through the loop, stepping over the unconscious Rogues, in search of Barry.

"HELLOOOOOOO!" called Mina, "BARRY?"

*CRUNCH*

"Huh?"

Mina looked down, realizing that she had stepped on something. Kneeling down to pick up the object, Mina noticed that there were large droplets of blood on the floor. As she picked up the object and examined it, Mina gasped her eyes widening.

"N-No, it can't be." Said Mina.

"Mina?" said Singh, walking behind her, "What is it, what did you find?"

Mina began to sniffle, her eyes watery.

"Hey, what's wrong?" said Singh.

"Barry is….gone," said Mina.

"What?" said Singh, "What do you mean gone?"

Mina turned around, tears in her eyes, "I mean he's gone."

Mina held up the object, causing Singh's eyes to widen and his face to warp into an expression of sadness.

"No." he gasped.

In Mina's hands, were Barry's glasses, the lenses cracked and stained with blood.

* * *

"AAAAAAAAGH!"

Barry screamed, his body falling through white nothingness.

_I-I don't understand, where am I?!_

Barry continued to fall, the sky, ground, and general surroundings a stark white, blinding Barry.

_Wait, is that?_

A floating rock platform became visible below Barry.

_I gotta land somewhere, I can't keep falling!_

Barry attempted to angle himself onto the platform, but as the platform got closer and closer, he realized that he might not make it.

_Please land please land please-_

Just as Barry is about to miss the platform, a hand shoots out, grabbing his arm. Barry looks up as he hands over the platform edge to find that the hand belonged to a man, shrouded head to toe in cloth, the only exception being his eyes, which were hidden behind goggles.

"Who are you?!" said Barry.

What the man said next shocked Barry.

"I'm Jay Garrick."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the finale to my Original Arc, though more original stuff is coming.


	29. Flash Missing?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Flash is missing after the events of Rise Of The Rogues! As his friends try to find out what happened, Barry learns a great deal about his powers.

Mina sat in a chair in Animal-Man's Agency office, looking at Barry's glasses. Mina turned them over, observing the cracked lenses and the lightning bolts protruding out the side.

_I hope to God you aren't dead Barry._

"Mina."

Mina looked up, coming face to face with an unmasked Animal-Man.

"I'm gonna need these for the presentation." Said Animal-Man.

Mina looked down at the glasses one last time before handing them off to Animal-Man.

"Sorry, I'm just worried about him." Said Mina.

"We all are." Said Animal-Man, "I just hope that this situation doesn't take a turn for the worst."

Stargirl enters the room, carrying her staff, "They're here Buddy."

Buddy nodded, pulling his mask on before gesturing for Mina to follow him. Mina complied, getting up from her chair and following Buddy to a new room.

The normally empty dojo was filled with heroes, specifically the ones who were put on the Rogue's team.

"After the blackout, we caught the Rogues." Said Mineta, "Why do we need to assemble again?"

"Could be that they have a new job for us!" said Derek.

"Ugh, I wish I could just go home." Said Mt. Lady.

"For real?!" said Mirko, "Get over yourself, if there's more work to be done, then we do it!"

The heroes were all sitting in fold-out chairs in front of a projector. In addition, Detective Singh stood in a corner, leaning back with his arms crossed.

"Hello everybody!" said Animal-Man, walking in front of the projector, "I understand that I may have called you all here on short notice."

"Yeah!" said Mt. Lady, "This is the debrief for the Rogues, right?"

"Unfortunately, it isn't that positive." Said Animal-Man, eliciting strange glares.

"What do you mean it isn't that positive?" said Mirko, "Did someone die?"

The words gave Mina a wave of uncomfortableness, eliciting further worries.

"Wait, seriously?" said Mineta, "Did someone really die?!"

"Hey guys," said Derek, "Where's Barry?"

Animal-Man sighed, "Barry is the reason we're here today."

The heroes squirmed uncomfortably in their seats.

Animal-Man cleared his throat, "As you all know, the power came on early and the Rogues were captured, all thanks to the efforts of four people," said Animal-Man, "Pinky, Detective Singh in the corner, Dr. Harrison Wells, who will be here shortly in video form, And Flash A.K.A. Barry Allen."

"What happened to Barry?" asked Mineta, "He didn't die for real did he?!"

"Well, we don't know for sure." Said Animal-Man, wiping his forehead, "While some of us assumed the worst, the reality is Barry disappeared after starting the particle accelerator, a device that saved the relief effort and thousands of people. All that was left of him after starting the accelerator are his glasses."

Animal-Man held up the glasses for all to see, "Barry's disappearance has stumped all of us, but Dr. Wells seems to think he has an explanation."

Animal-Man turned to Stargirl, "Bring it up."

Stargirl nodded, walking over to the projector and turning it on, pulling up a live video feed of Wells.

"Hello?" said Wells, "I assume this is working?"

"Yes, it's working." Said Stargirl.

"Good, thanks." Said Wells before he pulled up a large graph. The graph was a diagonal line that slowly inched forward and upward before shooting upward then crashing straight down.

"I'm going to make this easy to understand," said Wells, "This graph represents the kinetic energy coming off of Barry while he was starting the particle accelerator."

"Wait, how does Barry running help start the particle doohickey." Said Mt. Lady.

"The loop can collect kinetic energy, energy can be generated by running." Said Wells, "Are we all on the same page? Good! Now moving forward-"

"Wait, but how does it collect the energy?" asked Mineta.

"For Christ's sake, save the questions till the end." Said Wells, taking a deep breath, "Now, watch as Barry moves faster and faster, generating more and more energy. That energy then shoots up to a massive peak before dropping off entirely."

"What does that imply?" asked Mt. Lady.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LET ME FINISH!" shouted Wells, taking another deep breath, "It's my belief that Barry didn't die, but he created so much kinetic energy that his body ascended."

"Ascended?!" said Mirko, "Like to Heaven?"

"I just said he didn't die!" said Wells, facepalming, "I think Barry literally ran himself into a new plane of existence."

The entire room gave each other looks of disbelief.

"That sounds insane!" said Derek, "If that's true, then how would we get him back here?"

"Well, I don't think we can." Said Wells, "At least not yet, but right now I'm working on a way to bring him back. I just have to study the specific energy Barry generated."

"That sounds great," said Mirko, "But what are we here for?"

Singh walked forward, holding a collection of small tech pads, "He wanted these handed out."

The pads were simple, small enough to be held with one hand, and their screen showed a strange form of Radar.

"What is this?" asked Mina.

"Whatever energy Barry radiates it has a strong signal." Explained Wells, "I've outfitted these pads with a sort of Barry radar. If Barry somehow manages to descend from his newfound plane of existence, I would want one of you to be the first to find him."

Mina nodded, "Yes sir!"

The projector turns off and Singh steps forward.

"Listen up everyone, I've been placed in charge of this operation from the police side as well as communications." Said Singh, "It should help with keeping everyone in touch by networking everyone with the police, it makes finding Barry much faster if he manages to get back. That is all!"

The Heroes nod, getting out their seats and taking their leave.

"Man, I hope we find Barry." Said Derek.

"The guy's got himself into something insane, that's for sure!" said Mineta.

As the heroes left, Buddy took off his mask and took another glance at the glasses. Stargirl walked up to him.

"This isn't just about helping the guy who saved the city, is it?" said Stargirl.

Buddy frowned, "Barry was my responsibility, he was supposed to be under my watch. I failed him."

"Not yet!" said Stargirl, "If we find him, then everything will be alright."

Buddy turned away, "He shouldn't have gone missing in the first place."

While Buddy and Stargirl talked, Mina stared at her radar pad.

_Barry, you better be alive out there!_

* * *

"Absolutely incredible!"

Barry shuffled alongside Jay, still completely shrouded in cloth, as the two walked from floating rock platform to floating rock platform. The platforms themselves were completely surrounded by a white void, nothing but the stone platforms as far as the eye can see.

"I can't believe it!" said Barry, "You're real! You're actually real!"

"I know kid I know." Said Jay, "But this isn't exactly the safest place to talk."

"Are you sure?!" said Barry, "I mean, we can totally talk later if you want to-"

"Duck." Said Jay.

"What?" said Barry.

"I SAID DUCK!" shouted Jay.

Jay tackled Barry to the ground, right as a massive creature flew right above them, casting a massive shadow. As the two got up, Barry looked up to see something he thought he'd never see.

"Is that a- PTERODACTYL!" shouted Barry.

True enough, the creature that had dive-bombed them was, in fact, the prehistoric flying creature. The fact that it was a living, breathing dinosaur shocked Barry even more.

"How-How in the world is that thing real?!" said Barry, "And alive?! And why couldn't I react faster, my powers don't seem to work."

"The Speed Force tends to catch a lot of things in its wake." Said Jay, "And if you got here the way I think you did, it makes sense that you don't have your speed."

Barry made a confused face, "The Speed Force?"

Jay stopped, turning around to glare at Barry behind his goggles, "You're a speedster, and you don't know what the Speed Force is? By the way, what's your name?"

"Barry." said Barry, "And no, I don't know what this Speed Force is."

Jay chuckled, "Heh, you really don't know much about your own power, do you?"

"Um, no, I don't." said Barry, "Does that mean you do?"

"Heh, sure kid." Said Jay, "But we should talk at my home."

"Your home?" said Barry, "The great Jay Garrick, who is supposed to be a comic book character, by the way, lives on a pile of floating rocks?"

"Hey, don't tell me I'm supposed to be fictional!" joked Jay, "Besides, I live in the jungle."

"Jungle?" said Barry.

Cracking a grin underneath his shroud, Jay walks to the edge of the platform and points down. Barry follows his finger to find a surprise.

A massive platform floated underneath the ones that Barry and Jay stood on, and it sported a massive jungle. Large green trees flanked by thousands of colorful birds and wildlife teemed below.

"Wow." Gasped Barry.

"Wow?" said Jay, smiling under his cloth, "You should see my front door!"

* * *

"This is your home?!" shouted an elated Barry.

"Yep, grand isn't it!" said Jay.

Deep in the jungle, Barry and Jay stood in front of a massive cave, its opening blocked off by a massive boulder. The jungle was alive with the rustling of bushes and the calls of animals.

"How do you get inside?" asked Barry.

"Heh, like this." Said Jay.

Jay walked up to a bush, sticking his hand in and pulling some kind of lever. As soon as Jay pulled the lever, Barry noticed that an army of wooden counterweights had started to descend from the trees. The rumbling of cogs and the sounds of rope pulling, and tightening resounded throughout the forest. As the counterweights moved down, Barry noticed a set of vines moving upward, wrapping around the boulder as they traveled. Soon, the movement of the counterweights slowed as the vines finally wrapped around the boulder, lifting it up. In only a few minutes, the cave entrance was clear.

"That was genius!" said Barry, "Using a primitive counterweight system in an environment like this, simply genius! You should consider-"

Barry turned to talk to Jay, but Jay was not next to him.

"Um, Mr. Garrick?" called Barry.

"Right here, kid!"

Barry turned to find Jay walking out of the underbrush, carrying a velociraptor corpse on his back.

"Sorry, hope you didn't mind me going out to catch us some dinner." Said Jay, "It would be rude for me to not treat a guest."

"What the- How did you catch that?!" said Barry.

Jay looked up at the velociraptor, turning it to show a large stick in its side, "I set traps."

* * *

A roaring fire lit the cave, showing wooden shelves fastened to the stone walls. Barry and Jay sat across from each other, feasting on velociraptor meat on sticks.

"I didn't know prehistoric meat tasted this good!" said Barry, his mouth full and fat spilling from his mouth."

"Hah!" said Jay, pulling the cloth away from his mouth to take a bite, "The trick is to roast it on a spit."

Barry did a double-take as Jay took a bite, noticing a large bushy auburn beard.

"What?" said Jay, looking perplexed.

"Um," said Barry, "I didn't expect you to have such a large-"

"Are you talking about my beard?" teased Jay, "Cause it's not like I took a shaving kit with me when I ended up here."

"Heh, I guess you're right." Said Barry, returning his attention to his meal.

Jay finished his meal, placing his stick on the ground, "Barry, right?"

"Yeah," said Barry.

_Ohmygodherememberedmyname!_

"Listen, Barry." Said Jay, "Do you, in all seriousness, not know what the Speed Force is."

Barry finished his food, putting the stick down, "No, but do you?"

Jay nodded, pulling his goggles off to he could look Barry in the eyes, "Barry, the Speed Force is the source of power for all speedsters, that includes you and me."

Barry looked into the fire, deep in thought, "You mean that my speed, my powers, comes from this place?"

"Yep, this place is the Speed Force!" said Jay, gesturing with his hands to the entirety of the jungle, "Sometimes the Speed Force draws in certain creatures or environments when it releases energy. But after certain people are struck by its power, then they become speedsters."

"Speedsters?" said Barry.

"Like you and me!" said Jay, "Think of us like harnessers of the Speed Force, we can use it to do incredible things, and we also act as release valves for its power."

"Wow," said Barry, "So when I got struck by lightning, I became a speedster!"

"Yes!" said Jay, "Exactly!"

Barry looked up at Jay, "If that's true, then why are we here? How did we get here? How do we get out?"

"I assume you were exerting yourself, going past your limits to get here, yes?" said Jay.

"Yes, that's right!" said Barry, "I was starting a machine using kinetic energy, to avert a disaster, so I ran as fast as I could!"

"And you let the speed take you, didn't you?" said Jay.

"Yes I-how did you know?" said Barry.

"Because it's how I got here." Said Jay, "When a speedster goes fast enough, they can enter the Speed Force on their own accord. If the speedster is in control, then when they arrive they can harness the full extent of its power, practically limitless speed. If not, if they let the speed control them, they still get here, but the speed is burned out of them so to speak."

Barry looked worries, "So that means that I don't have my powers anymore?"

"Don't worry," said Jay, "if I'm correct in saying this, then returning to your native dimension should restore your powers when you exit the speed force."

"Thank goodness, I-" said Barry before he stopped himself, "Wait, did you say native dimension?"

"Yes," said Jay, "I did, I'm from Earth-"

"THE MULTIVERSE IS REAL!" shouted Barry, "HOLY SHIT!"

"Language." Said Jay.

"Sorry, I'm just kinda blown away right now!" said Barry, "Does this mean the Speed Force is its own dimension?"

"Sort of," said Jay, "think of it as the connecting fabric between universes, a base component of the multiverse itself."

Barry's eyes were wide as dinner plates, "Fascinating!"

"I know, I was blown away the first time I discovered these things." Said Jay.

Barry's smile quickly evaporated, however, when he realized something.

"My friends!" said Barry, "They must be worried sick!"

"Don't worry Barry," said Jay, "I have a plan. Come with me."

Jay got up, grabbing a stick and lighting it in the fire as a torch before beckoning Barry to follow him up a flight of stairs carved into the cave. Following Jay, Barry climbed a spiral of stone, then wooden stairs that led up the trunk of a tree. By the time they reached the top of the tree, which towered above the other trees, Barry was out of breath.

"Oh *pant* jeez *pant*, I wish I had my powers, I didn't realize how lethargic I was without them." Said Barry.

"Don't worry kid," said Jay, "Instead, take a look at that mountain way out over yonder."

Barry looked out across the jungle, spotting a mountain with what looked like a building on top. Even stranger, the building had lighting that was visible from far away.

"What is that?" asked Barry.

"A speed temple." Said Jay, "Long ago, a city-state recognized the power of the Speed Force, and worshipped it. They even built a temple for it. It seems the Speed Force itself took notice and took the temple from its place on Earth unto itself."

"Wow." Said Barry.

"If we can get there, then the markings inside should give us a path on how to get back to our worlds." Said Jay, "Rest up Barry, because we've got a long day ahead of us."

Barry nodded, then groaned as he realized he had to go down the steps again. When the two reached the bottom, Jay pulled out two thatch cot, placing one down for Barry and the other for himself.

Barry lay down on his cot, "Man, I'm never gonna forget the day I met Jay Garrick!"

"Heh, don't sweat it, kid." Said Jay, getting in his cot, "Sleep well Barry."

"You too sir!" said Barry, closing his eyes.

Jay smiled, leaning his head back and falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story will return to the main MHA narrative in a few chapters.


	30. Savage World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Journey through the speed force! Barry has discovered a great deal about himself through the mysterious Jay Garrick, and embarks on a journey to return to his reality.

*ROAR*

"AH, BIG TEETH BIG TEETH!"

Barry sprinted through the jungle, jumping over the roots of large trees as massive footsteps stomp after him.

_Oh Crap, where did Jay go? Which way which way which-_

"BARRY!"

Barry reached a clearing, spotting Jay at the edge ready to move into the jungle.

"Get over here Barry!" shouted Jay.

Barry raced towards Jay, just as the footsteps became louder than before.

A massive T-Rex burst into the clearing, roaring, before chasing closing in on Barry.

"uh oh!" said Barry.

"BARRY, GET OUT OF THE OPEN!" shouted Jay.

Barry ran as fast as he could, the T-Rex almost upon him. Just as the T-Rex was ready to take a bite out of Barry, they both reached the jungle. The T-Rex slams into the trees, getting its head caught in the vines.

*ROAR*

The T-Rex roared, struggling to break free as Jay and Barry ran away together.

"Whew," said Barry, "That was close."

"That it was Barry," said Jay, "that it was."

"Hah, yeah," said Barry, running out of breath, "Sorry I, I have to stop."

Barry stumbled to a stop, putting his hands on his knees while breathing heavily.

"Need a drink?" asked Jay, pulling out a waterskin.

"Sure." Said Barry, taking the waterskin and taking a massive swig, "Ah, that's some good water."

"Thanks, I treated it myself," said Jay, taking back the waterskin and taking a swig.

"If you don't mind me asking, how far away are we?" asked Barry.

Jay looked toward an opening in the jungle, "We're almost there."

Jay walked to the opening, followed by Barry. The two gazed up in awe as they realized they were at the foot of the mountain.

"Last leg." Said Jay.

"Let's hope so." Said Barry, "I can't wait to go home."

* * *

*Snore*

Mina lay on her front, taking a nap on the Animal-Man agency couch.

*Ring* *Ring*

"Mmph," groaned Mina, groggily waking up and pulling out her cell phone, "Hello?"

"Mina!" said a voice on the other end, "Something happened!"

"Who…Who is this?" asked Mina.

"Who is-OH, It's Uraraka!" said the voice.

"Oh, Uraraka," said Mina, sitting up, "How's the Work-Study going? It's almost over isn't it?"

"It's going great actually!" said Uraraka, "Gunhead taught me a few really awesome hand to hand tricks! But I was actually calling to ask if you were ok?!"

"If I'm ok?" said Mina.

"Yeah!" said Uraraka, "I heard about the power blackout in Fukuoka and wanted to check up on you. It was especially worrying after what happened in Hosu."

"Hosu?" said Mina, "What happened in Hosu?"

"You didn't hear?" said Uraraka, "There were villain attacks, the hero killer Stain was even there!"

Mina sat up, "Oh no, did anyone get hurt?"

"Deku was there with Todoroki and Iida, they're a little busted up but will be fine." Said Uraraka, "On the topic of good news, Endeavor caught Stain!"

"That's great news!" said Mina, picking up her energy radar, "Not too many people were hurt right?"

"No, but I heard it was worse in Fukuoka." Said Uraraka, "Did any of you get hurt?"

Mina didn't answer, Barry, flashing to mind, "Um, uh-"

"Mina?" said Uraraka, "Is everything ok?"

"For the most part, nobody got hurt," said Mina, "But Barry is missing."

"Oh no!" said Uraraka, "Do you have any idea where he is?"

"Maybe," said Mina, "We just have to-"

"MINA!"

Stargirl burst into the room, panting.

"Stargirl!" said Mina, "What is it?!"

"Wells picked up a signature!" said Stargirl, "We may have found him!"

Mina's eyes widened, "I'm gonna have to call you back Uraraka, we may have found Barry!"

"What?!" said Uraraka, "Then what are you waiting for, go find him!"

"I will!" said Mina, "Thanks for the talk!"

"Your welcome," said Uraraka, hanging up.

Mina shoved the phone in her pocket before placing her mask on her face, "Where was the signature located?"

Stargirl grabbed her staff, "Hosu City."

* * *

"Almost there, Barry!"

Jay and Barry scaled a cliff face, slowly but surely making their way up.

"Um, Mr. Garrick?" said Barry.

"Call me Jay, Barry." Said Jay, "All my friends do."

"Jay," said Barry, struggling to reach a small ledge, "Couldn't there have been another way up, some stairs maybe?"

"What's the problem?" asked Jay, grabbing another ledge.

"Well," said Barry, "Let's just say I'm not qualified for free climbing."

"Don't worry," said Jay, "I've got your back, Barry."

"Thanks," said Barry, "I'm glad you're looking out for MEEEEEEEEEEE"

Barry's hand slips, causing him to fall a few feet before barely grabbing a small foothold with his hand.

"BARRY!" shouted Jay, who began to make his way towards Barry, "Don't worry, I'm coming!"

"I'm-I'm slipping!" said Barry, his grip loosening.

"Hang on!" shouted Jay.

Just as Barry's hand slipped, Jay grabbed it, lifting Barry up to a better foothold.

"Thanks." Said Barry, breathing heavily.

Jay smiled, "No problem, and to answer your question, there are no stairs."

Jay kept climbing upward, leaving Barry to climb after him, "Speed Force, you might be the source of my speed, but build some damn stairs next time."

* * *

"Coming up on Hosu city now."

Animal-Man and Stargirl flew above the highway, following Singh as he drove Mina in his police cruiser.

"Take this exit here." Said Mina, giving directions, "The signal is getting stronger."

"Do you actually know where you're going?" asked Singh.

"I just said that the signal was getting stronger." Said Mina.

"What does that mean?" asked Singh.

"It means we're getting closer." Said Mina.

"Are you sure?" asked Singh.

"YES, I'm sure." Said Mina, "The other pros are converging on the spot as well!"

"Hey," said Animal-Man, "Don't clog the channels with chatter, turn the mic off if you're gonna talk to each other."

"Sorry!" said Mina, shutting off the mic.

"The traffic's insane," said Singh, "Probably has something to do with the Stain arrest."

"Yeah." Said Mina, "It does."

Singh looked at Mina, noticing her worried expression.

"Hey," said Singh, "You ok?"

"Me?" said Mina, "Fine."

"Listen," said Singh, "It's ok to be worried, especially when your crush is involved."

"He's not my crush," moped Mina, leaning on the window, "besides, he's got bigger problems to solve than finding love."

"Hey, don't assume he won't notice." Said Singh, "Though it's probably ironic coming from me, I didn't notice Hartley's advances until he straight up told me."

Mina shot Singh a dirty look.

"Ok," said Singh, "Point taken."

Mina looked forward, then to her radar scanner, "Right."

"I know, you were right, I overstepped." Said Singh.

"No, I meant TURN RIGHT!" shouted Mina.

Singh panicked, swerving into the turn.

"Jesus kid tell me earlier in advance!" said Singh.

"You weren't listening!" said Mina, looking at her pad, "and besides, we're here."

The duo gets out of the cruiser as Animal-Man and Stargirl land. As the heroes gather, they stare at the location in confusion.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked Stargirl.

"Pretty sure," said Mina, "The scanner is spot on."

Animal-Man pinches the bridge of his nose, "I hope we don't get into too much trouble."

The four walk into the location of the energy signature, The Hosu City hospital lobby.

* * *

"Here we are Barry," said Jay, "The Speed Temple!"

Barry, who just finished scaling the cliff, panted as he looked up at the temple.

"It's….Smaller than I expected." Said Barry.

Indeed, while it looked like a grand temple from far away, the temple was, in reality, more of a shrine. A single open entrance gave way to a single large room with an altar in the middle. The entire building was built from marble.

"Well," said Jay, "Let's go in, shall we!"

The duo entered the temple, marveling at the insides. Torches adorned the interior, lighting the shrine with brilliant light. Hieroglyphics lined the walls, telling stories that Barry could only dream of.

"This is incredible!" said Barry, "Who do you think built this?"

"I believe it was the occupants of Gorilla City." Said Jay.

"Gorilla City?" said Barry, "What's that?"

"City of sentient apes," said Jay, "And they worshipped the Speed Force."

Jay noticed a particular set of hieroglyphics, "Barry, look around, Try and find something that could point to a way out using the shrine as a key."

Barry nodded, starting to pace the room. Barry gazed upon the hieroglyphics, standing in awe at their workmanship.

_These drawings are incredible, and is that…ME?_

Barry noticed a certain Blonde boy etched into the walls. Barry looked around more, finding more drawings of him battling villains and enemies.

_I've never been here before, how can these drawings exist?_

Then Barry saw it.

_Is that…mom?_

A particular hieroglyphic picture Nora Allen bleeding to death, but what made it disturbing was the person pictured over her body. A man in yellow tights with red lightning coming off them.

_Who-Who is that?_

Suddenly, Barry tripped, falling over onto the altar.

"Are you ok there Barry?" called Jay, still looking at his hieroglyphics.

"Yeah, fine." Said Barry, getting up before spotted something in the shadows, just out of the torchlight.

Barry approached the object, slowly but surely making out a figure in the dark.

"Hey Jay?" said Barry, "There's someone here!"

"Huh?!" said Jay, "Someone's here?"

"Yeah, they look unconscious though." Said Barry.

"Hmm," said Jay, picking up a burnt-out torch from its spot, "So you don't say."

Barry grabbed a torch from its place, slowly but surely illuminating the person. The light revealed an older man who was unconscious and extremely bruised.

"Jay!" said Barry, "He's hurt!"

"Don't worry Barry," said Jay, walking towards Barry, "Everything will be alright."

Barry began to check his face for bruises, then he checked for a pulse.

"He's still alive!" said Barry, about to turn around when he noticed something.

Bringing the torch lower, Barry realized that the old man was wearing something.

A red long-sleeved shirt with a lightning bolt emblazoned across its front. Looking further down, Barry realized he was also holding something. A tin helmet with wings flanking either side.

_The Hermes cap?_

"Jay?" said Barry, "Who is this man?"

"He," said Jay, standing right behind Barry, "is Jay Garrick."

Barry's eyes widened, "If he's Jay Garrick, then who are you-"

*WHACK*

The unburnt torch strikes Barry across the back of his head, and he was out like a light.

* * *

"Yeah, I'll talk to you later mom."

Izuku Midoriya hung up the phone, taking a deep breath. He had just been in a tense showdown with the hero killer Stain, a fight that resulted in a broken arm.

_I had to tell mom I was ok, after the fight with stain._

Midoriya looked at the time, "I better go back up to my room."

Just as he's about to leave, duo of heroes walks into the lobby.

_Is that…_

"Animal-Man?!" shouted a wide-eyed Midoriya.

"Is the signal still here?" said Animal-Man.

"No, it's gone now?" said Stargirl, "I don't understand, it was so strong just a few minutes ago!"

"Damn, sweep the area, I don't want to miss anything." Said Animal-Man.

As the heroes dispersed, Midoriya approached Animal-Man.

"Animal-Man sir!" said Midoriya, "It's so great to meet you!"

"Why thank you young man!" said Animal-Man, "What's your name?"

"M-Midoriya sir!" said Midoriya.

"Midoriya?" said Animal-Man, "You wouldn't happen to be a U.A. student would you?"

"OHMYGODANIMALMANRECOGNIZESME!" stammered Midoriya.

"Midoriya?"

Midoriya turned, finding himself face to face with Mina of all people.

"Ashido?" said Midoriya, "What are you doing here?"

"We're looking for Barry." Said Mina, "Did you see him anywhere near here?"

"No.," said Midoriya, who suddenly became very worried, "What happened, where is Barry?"

Mina looked down at her radar pad, "We don't know. We followed an energy signature that might lead us to him, but it faded out here."

Midoriya looked down, frowning.

_Barry is missing?_

"Hey Ashido?" said Midoriya, "Can I help?"

Mina looked at Animal-Man for approval, receiving a nod.

"Yeah Midoriya," said Mina, "You can help!"

"Great!" said Midoriya, "Just one thing before I help!"

Midoriya walked up to Animal-Man, holding up his broken arm, "Can you sign my cast please?"

* * *

Barry's eyes slowly opened as he groaned, feeling a lump in the back of his head. He was laying on his back on the altar.

_What…What happened?_

As Barry's focus returned, so did his memory.

_Wait, Particle Accelerator, Speed Force, Jay Garrick!_

Barry tried to get up, only to be held to the altar via chains on his wrists and feet. Barry struggled with all his might, clinking and clanking the chains.

"Ah, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Barry turned, looking at the man who had told him he was Jay Garrick. He was shaving using a razor and shaving cream.

"Who are you?! What did you do to Jay Garrick?!" demanded Barry.

"Slow down kid," said the man, "Before I shut your mouth for good. Jay's in a Speed Force coma, courtesy of me after I beat the shit out of him."

Barry gritted his teeth.

"He's been asleep for a while, and honestly I have no idea when he'll wake up, but I doubt he can save you." Said the man, "Honestly, I'm surprised he's still here. One would think that a creature might have eaten his senile ass a long time ago."

"He's not that old!" shouted Barry.

"Heh, whatever kid." Said the man, who continued to shave.

Barry looked up at the ceiling, and the hieroglyphics that came with them, "You lied to me."

"About being Jay Garrick, or about the shaving kit?" said the man, "Cause the shaving kit dropped out of the sky outside after I conked you on the head, a gift from the speed force if you will."

"Why did you impersonate Jay Garrick?!" asked Barry.

"Because you're Barry Allen, and you idolize Jay Garrick." Said the man, "Typical Barry Allen."

"How did you know that?" asked Barry.

"Cause that's what my Barry was like," said the man, "Before I stuck my hand in his chest and blended his heart to mush."

Barry frowned, "Are you going to kill me?"

"Yes," said the man, "But I need your blood, so while I can't puree your heart, a stab in the right place will do."

The man took out a large sacrificial dagger.

"You ready to die?" asked the man.

Barry looked back at the man, who had finished shaving, "Before you try to kill me, I want to know who you are."

The man turned towards Barry, taking off the goggles and unraveling the shroud. The man had short auburn hair and rugged features. A sculpted nose and handsome face, young too. The most distinguished feature he had though, were his eyes. His eyes were full of malice, of hate.

"My name is Hunter Zolomon," said the man, a wicked smile forming on his face, "But the people on my Earth? They called me **ZOOM!** "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These end notes are real repetitive, they'll probably be more interesting when I have something big to say! I will say this is where the Fic starts to really incorporate the elements of the Flash Comics.


	31. Anchor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Truth revealed! Hunter Zolomon has hijacked Barry's quest to return to his reality, but will Barry be able to escape with help from a strange place?!

"What?! Barry is missing?!"

Mina sat in the hospital room, currently occupied by Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida. The boys were all in hospital gowns, draped in bandages.

"The Scientist we're working with thinks that Barry may have ascended to a new plane of existence." Said Mina.

Todoroki's eyes widened, "It is a deep tragedy to see Allen pass on like that."

"HE DIDN'T DIE!" screamed Mina, "Why does everyone think that when I say ascended?!"

"Maybe use the word transported?" said Iida, "It does not indicate Allen rising to Heaven."

"That's….not a bad idea!" said Mina.

"Please, explain to me again what happened?" said Todoroki, "I'm still a little confused."

Mina sighed, "I probably shouldn't be telling you guys this, but during our work-study, Barry and I faced off against a villain group."

The boys all gave each other worried looks, prompting confusion from Mina.

"Uh, guys?" said Mina, "I was expecting a bit more backlash?! Maybe not from Todoroki, but from Midoriya and especially you Iida."

"Mina, you should not have fought any villains when you don't have your license." Said Iida, "But me saying so is more than a little hypocritical."

"What?" said Mina, "What does that mean?"

Todoroki stepped forward, "Mina, we faced off against the Hero Killer Stain, not Endeavor."

Mina's eyes widened in shock as Midoriya and Iida simultaneously gasped.

"T-Todoroki!" said Midoriya, "We were supposed to keep it secret!"

"You are in heavy violation of our agreement with Mr. Tsuragamae's agreement!" said Iida.

Todoroki turned to the two boys, "We aren't trying to boast about out deed, we're explaining that we understand the pressure she's in."

The boys raised their hands in protest, but after a few moments, they lowered them.

"Good," said Todoroki, turning back to Mina, "so, what happened?"

* * *

"Barry managed to fight off 5 villains at once?!" yelped Midoriya, "That's incredible!"

"I don't know all the details," said Mina, "But I do know that in the end, they caught him. He only managed to avoid being taken out when there was some accident that knocked out all the villains."

"Barry is very lucky to survive that sort of assault." Said Iida, "But I still don't understand how Barry went missing."

"Well," said Mina, "Barry had to run fast enough to-"

"Develop enough kinetic energy to power the accelerator." Said Todoroki.

"It must not have had enough power to start itself due to the power outage." Said Midoriya.

"Kinetic energy," said Iida, "Genius!"

Mina stared at the rest of the boys, dumbfounded, "You guys understood this stuff way faster than I did."

"We are top of the class." Said Todoroki.

"Anyway," said Mina, "The scientist, Dr. Wells, seems to think that Barry went so fast that he was transported to a new form of reality."

"What?!" said Iida, "A new reality?!"

"How does that work?" asked Todoroki.

"We don't exactly know." Said Mina, "But we have constructed a way of searching for Barry if he makes it back!"

Mina pulls out the energy radar, "This pad is configured to search for an energy signature, specifically the one that Barry radiates when he runs."

"So if he does make it back, you'll know where he is!" said Midoriya.

"Jeez, you guys really are top of the class!" said Mina, "We tracked a signature that matches Barry's here, to this hospital."

"Is Barry really here?" asked Midoriya.

"We don't know." Said Mina, "But we're sweeping the whole hospital, looking for him. While the heroes probably have it covered, we could always use some extra hands, so, can you help us?"

The boys looked at each other before instantly nodding in agreement.

"Barry's our classmate." Said Todoroki.

"And our friend." Said Midoriya.

"And it would be irresponsible of us, especially me as class president, to not help with finding out a classmate!"

"Great!" said Mina, smiling as she walked towards the door followed by the boys, "Let's find Barry!"

* * *

Zolomon circled the altar, sharpening his dagger while Barry struggled to free himself from his chains.

"Zoom?" said Barry, "Seriously, that's your name?"

Zolomon gave Barry an angry look before bringing the butt of the knife down on Barry's face.

*Whack*

"Pfft," dazed, Barry spit blood from his mouth off of the altar, "Wow, good comeback."

"Stop talking," said Zolomon, "I want to get my power back quickly."

Barry followed Zolomon with his eyes, "What else was a lie? All this speed force stuff?"

Zolomon smirked, "That was mostly true, though this place isn't the key back to my earth. You are!"

Barry's muscles tensed at the glee in Zolomon's words.

"Why did you save me back there?" said Barry, "If you were going to kill me anyway?"

"Because if I want to get back to my earth," said Zolomon, "I'm gonna have to stick you like a pig, right here on the altar."

Barry shifted uncomfortably, "Why do you need my blood? Why here?"

Zolomon chuckled, "Heh, I wouldn't want to spoil everything."

Zolomon stopped at Barry's head, his back to Jay Garrick's body.

"Don't worry kid," said Zolomon, raising the dagger. "I'll drag it out!"

Barry took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

_I could use a miracle Speed Force!_

*SLAM*

The sound of bodies colliding surprised Barry, who opened his eyes to discover an incredible sight.

Jay Garrick, alive and totally awake, had tackled Zolomon from behind and was currently wrestling with Zolomon for control of the dagger. The two men struggled back and forth, leaning to and fro in an attempt to gain the upper hand.

"Hrr!" grunted Jay, struggling against the much younger Zolomon, "I'll be with you in a minute, Barry!"

Barry's eyes widened.

_THE REAL JAY GARRICK KNOWS MY NAME!_

"GRRR!" snarled Zolomon, pushing the dagger towards Jay.

"Uh oh!" said Jay, beginning to step backward.

As Zolomon and Jay began to pass Barry's side, Barry noticed a key hanging in a loop attached to Zolomon's side. He stretched his hand in desperation, trying to grab it from the struggling Zolomon.

"You won't kill another one Zoom!" said Jay, "Not another Barry!"

Barry's finger hooks around the key loop, pulling off the key from Zolomon's side. Working quickly while Zolomon is distracting, Barry released one of the cuffs on his arm, then began working on the other arm.

*SLAM*

Barry turned to find that Zolomon had gained the upper hand, pushing Jay to the ground while holding the dagger over Jay's head.

"I should have finished you a long time ago!" snarled Zolomon, "You and West!"

"Hrrgh!" grunted Jay, struggling against the stronger man, "That's what they all say."

Zolomon's face contorted into an expression of pure rage as he began rapidly pushing the dagger down, closer and closer to Jay's eye.

"Hey, Zoom?!"

Zolomon whirled around, facing Barry, who appeared to still be chained to the altar.

"Nice clothes!" said Barry, "Did your mom make them for you?!"

While intended to only be a temporary distraction, the insult sent Zolomon into a rage!

"RAAAAGH!" shouted Zolomon, completely disengaging from Jay and hurling himself at Barry, "DON'T TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER!"

"BARRY!" shouted Jay, "NO!"

Barry's eyes widened.

_CRAP THAT'S NOT WHAT I EXPECTED TO HAPPEN!_

Thinking fast, Barry rolled out of the way as Zolomon brought the dagger down onto the altar.

"Wha-"

As Zolomon was confused, Barry quickly grabbed a cuff and placed it on Zolomon's hand, the one that held he dagger, before quickly locking it with the key.

"BASTARD!" shouted Zolomon, attempting to grab Barry. Instead, Barry grabbed Zolomon's free hand, placing the other cuff on said hand. Zolomon now lay face down on the altar as Barry stumbled off, completely free, grabbing the dagger and placing it in his pocket while doing so.

"GRRAAAAGH!" shouted Zolomon, "I'm going to kill you, Allen, You and everyone else on your eart-"

*CLANG*

Zolomon is cut short when Jay, who retrieved his helmet, brought the metal headgear down on his head, knocking him out. The two speedsters panted, having barely subdued the villain.

"*Huff*," said Jay, "How long was I out?"

"*Huff*, I don't know," said Barry, "But you aren't dead, so probably not long."

The two looked at the unconscious Zolomon.

"We should probably chain his feet." Said Jay.

"He called you senile you know." Said Barry.

Jay looked at Barry in surprise, then chuckled, "Ha, sounds like the kind of insult Zolomon would use."

* * *

"Is that it?" asked Todoroki.

The 4 students had swept through the few hospital floors that the heroes hadn't covered, but they didn't find Barry. In fact, they didn't find anything.

"I don't understand." Said Mina, "We locked onto an energy signature, he should be here."

"Maybe it was an error in the system." Said Iida.

"I hate to say it," said Midoriya, "But we checked every corner of the hospital they would let us, the heroes checked the rest."

Mina pulled out the radar, "This can't be the end, can it?"

Suddenly, the radar gets a ping!

"OH!" said Mina, "I have something!"

"What, WHERE?!" asked Barry.

Mina scanned the radar, which showed a dot right on her position, "He should be right here! But why isn't he-"

Mina then realized what happened!

"Of course!" said Mina, "He's downstairs, the lobby!"

Mina raced to the stairs, "W-Wait up Mina!" said Midoriya as the boys raced after her.

The two speedsters leaned on opposite walls of the speed temple, having shackled Zolomon's feet in addition to his already shackled arms. Jay was looking at his reflection in his helmet.

"I wonder why I didn't grow a beard?" said Jay.

"I don't know," said Barry, "could have something to do with your coma."

"Coma?" said Jay, clearly confused, "I was out long enough for it to be called a coma?"

"I guess," said Barry, "That's what Zoom said."

"Hmph, don't ever trust Zoom Barry." Said Jay, putting the helmet on, "So, shall we-"

Barry pulled the dagger out, but while it wasn't pointed at Jay, he assumed a defensive stance.

"Barry?" said Jay.

"I don't know how you know my name," said Barry, "Or whether or not you're the real Jay Garrick."

"Kid," said Jay, "I've known you since you were 24."

"I'm 16 years old!" Said Barry.

"Ok," said Jay, putting his hands up, "I understand, you don't trust me, but there must be some way for me to prove to you I'm the real deal."

Barry thought for a moment, "Who is Joan?"

Jay's eyes widened, "Joan is my wife! How could I ever forget her!"

Barry lowered the dagger, breathing a sigh of relief, "That may have been too easy a question, but you look like Jay Garrick, even if you're a little old."

"Hey," said Jay, "If I had a dollar for every time someone mentioned my age, I'd be the richest man alive as well as the fastest man alive."

"Sorry!" said Barry, "but, how do we get out of here?"

"You mean the Speed Force?" said Jay, "Well, I'm sorry to say Barry, but you're going to have to bleed a little."

"What?" said Barry in surprise.

"Barry, this temple was constructed to take blood from a speedster, specifically, the speed force avatar." Said Jay, "If the avatar bleeds on the altar, not only do they restore their own speed, but anyone close by should also get their speed back as well!"

Barry looked down at the dagger, "So if I want to get home, I have to gut myself?!"

Jay's eyes widened, "NO NO NO!" said Jay, "Only a little blood is needed, an excessive amount of blood would only happen if you wanted to kill the person restoring the speed."

"Like what Zoom wanted to do to me." Said Barry.

"Yeah!" said Jay.

Barry looked at the dagger, "I'm the Speed Force Avatar? What does that mean?"

"Usually," said Jay, "On my Earth Wally West was the Speed Force Avatar, but I'll tell you about him another time. Being the Speed Force Avatar means that your body is the outlet of the Force. You actively generate its power and release its energy."

Barry looked worried, "I'm sorry, there's so much, it's overwhelming."

"Don't worry, we can talk about this stuff more when we get out." Said Jay before he gave Barry a worried look, "Are you ok with this? I can help you if you want me to-"

"No," said Barry, "I can do it."

Lifting his open hand, Barry raised the dagger and pricked his finger.

"Just one more question," said Barry, "What did you mean by not another Barry?"

Jay's face became dark, "Zoom killed you on my Earth Barry, I didn't want another one of you to die."

Barry nodded in acknowledgment as a drop of blood formed at the tip of his finger. Hovering his hand over the alter, Barry shook his hand, letting the blood drop onto the altar.

*KRAKABOOOOOM*

In an instant, Barry finds himself struck by lightning inside the Speed Force, his entire body enveloped in yellow electricity.

"AAAAAAAAGH!" screamed Barry.

"BARRY!" shouted Jay, blinded by the bright light, "JUST HANG ON, IT'LL STOP SOO-"

An explosion of electricity shook the temple as a blinding light envelope the room. As the smoke settles, Barry stood up, dazed.

_OooH, my head._

Barry stumbled into the side of the room, struggling to keep his footing.

"Jay?" said Barry, looking at his hands, "Did it wor-"

Barry's eyes widened as he witnessed electricity dancing between his fingertips.

"JAY!" said Barry, his dizziness dissipated, "JAY, I did it!"

"You sure did Barry!"

Barry turned to see Jay standing proudly in his costume, complete with the silly hat. Blue lightning radiated off of him, the mark of a speedster.

"Jay, you look freaking awesome!" said Barry.

Jay tipped his hat to Barry, "Thank you, and I like your costume too, though it's certainly different from the one you wore on my earth."

Barry raised an eyebrow, "Different?"

Jay smiled, "Heh, I'll let you figure that one out on your own."

Barry cracked a smile, feeling the speed coursing through his body once again, "Alright, how do we get out of here?"

Jay put his hand on Barry's shoulder, "Do you have an anchor?"

"Anchor?" said Barry.

"When speedsters are traveling between times or dimensions," said Jay, "they often have an emotional anchor to guide them to their destination."

Barry looked down, "I…I don't exactly have any real Family left to anchor with."

"It doesn't have to be a family member Barry." Said Jay, "It can be a friend too."

Barry thought to himself, who were his friends.

_Kirishima, Midoriya, and…Mina!_

"I've got my anchor!" said Barry, blushing slightly.

"Do you have them in your head right now?" said Jay.

"Yes!" said Barry.

"Then run!" said Jay.

"Huh?" said Barry.

"Run Barry Run!" said Jay.

( **AN: If thematic music while reading is your thing, I'd suggest Daniel Pemberton: Spider-Man loves you! I don't do this often, but if it's your thing try it out!** )

Barry's legs moved almost on instinct as he shot off out of the temple, flying down the mountain at blazing speeds.

"WOOAAAH!" shouted Barry.

Barry raced over the clifftop, falling through the air with confidence. As he approached the treetops, Barry smiled as he put his foot on the individual tree branches and trunks, leaping from tree to tree. Barry reached the ground, planting his feet as he landed with a huge seismic *BOOM*

"Speed Force," said Barry, smiling with lightning in his eyes, "Thanks for coming back!"

Barry raced through the forest, leaping over giant roots and dodging large tree trunks in his path

_Home, I'm coming home!_

"You're doing great Barry!"

Barry looked to his left, spotting Jay following close behind him, blue lightning trailing behind him.

"You got this!" said Jay, "I'm right behind you!"

Barry smiled, yellow lightning trailing behind him as he ran. The two speedsters rapidly approached the edge of the jungle and the edge of the island.

_Here. We. GO_

Just as the two speedsters ran out of land to run on, a massive *KRAKABOOOOOOM* shook the Speed Force as the two disappeared into a burst of lightning.

* * *

"We're in the lobby." Said Mina, "So where's Barry?"

The four students searched the lobby again.

"You sure he's not one of the patients?" asked Todoroki.

"Barry would have told us if he was here, wouldn't he?" said Midoriya.

Mina looked down at the radar, now tracking no signals.

"I don't get it." Said Mina, "Where is Barry?"

Suddenly, a beep emits from the radar as it picks something up again.

"I have something!" said Mina, "But it says it's right…here?"

The radar beeps again, then again, and before Mina knows it the device is beeping repeatedly, like an alarm clock.

"W-What's happening to it?!" yelped Midoriya.

"It might be broken?" said Mina.

"Uh, guys." Said Todoroki.

The students turned as Todoroki pointed out a strange occurrence, sparks of electricity appearing out of nowhere. A massive gust of wind begins to blow through the lobby, confusing the room.

"What's happening?!" shouted Iida, "This is an extremely unnatural occurrence!"

"Way to state the obvious Iida!" shouted Mina.

The wind blew harder as the sparks became a constant barrage of electricity, all radiating from one spot.

"It's forming a…Portal?" said Todoroki.

True enough, the electricity had formed into the shape of a circular portal.

"Wooooooaaaaaaahh-"

"Barry?" said Mina.

The portal closed and the wind ceased, but not before two figures burst from the portal. Barry screamed as he flow out of the portal, colliding into Mina and causing the two to crash into the ground. The other man torqued his feet, sliding a few feet to a stop.

"Barry!" said the man, who was in his mid-50s, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," groaned Barry, lying on top of Mina, "I'm fine."

"You know if you want a controlled stop," said the man, "You should slide into it with your feet."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I just forgot that time." said Barry, "Can you leave me here for a few minutes, this pillow's really soft."

"Um, B-Barry!" said Midoriya, "That's not a pillow."

"What?" said Barry, picking his head up only to come face to face with Mina.

"B-Barry," stuttered Mina, who was blushing madly under her pink skin, "C-Can you please get off me?"

Barry's eyes widened when he realized that he had been resting his head on Mina's chest.

"URK!" Barry choked, going to standing position in less than a second and beginning to whistle loudly.

"That…never happened." Said Mina, getting up.

"Barry," said the man, "You did great!"

"Thanks, Jay," said Barry, who suddenly wore a face of concern, "But, why did you follow me?"

"Hmm?" said Jay.

"Don't you have your own place to be?" asked Barry.

Jay looked Barry in the eyes, "Barry, I'm the only other speedster you've met as far as I can tell. I thought that I could wait a few months longer to teach you the ropes!"

Barry's face lit up, "Taught, BY THE CRIMSON COMET HIMSELF!"

Barry jumped with joy, doing his own little dance.

"Barry," said Iida, "It's incredibly fortunate to have you back, but who is this man?"

Barry walked up to Jay's side, placing a hand on his arm, "You guys remember when I described why I became the flash?"

"Yeah?" said the students.

"Well, this is the guy who inspired me!" said Barry, "This is Jay Garrick!"

The four students stared at Barry in confusion.

"Eh?" said the four.

* * *

The Speed Force temple was silent. The torches had all gone out, which would have bathed it in darkness, but the unending day of the Speed Force kept the temple lit.

Hunter Zolomon lay face down on the altar, chained down by his enemies. His eyes were shut, his breathing shallow and faint. A snake slithered into the temple, raising its head in curiosity at Zolomon. Climbing onto the altar, the snake sniffed Zolomon's face before hissing, unhinging its jaw for a bite.

Just as the snake struck, the cuff shattered around Zolomon's wrist as he grabbed the snake at super speed, strangling it. The snake writhed and struggled, but ultimately, Zolomon crushed the life out of it. Zolomon's eyes opened, revealing a spark, a spark that looked almost like…

Lightning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fun chapter to write!


	32. A New Speedster In Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry Allen has returned, but he's brought someone new as well! Jay Garrick has escaped captivity in the speed force, and must now find his place in this new reality.

"Jay Garrick, right?"

The Hosu City train station was bustling with people, including a certain group of heroes and students. Barry and his friends walked through the station, alive with conversation, flanked by Buddy and Jay.

"Yes Buddy," said Jay Garrick, "That's my name."

"Thanks, just something for the books." said Buddy, before he gave Jay a strange look, "How'd you know my name was Buddy?"

Jay shuffled nervously, "Well, let's just say I knew you from a while back. You've probably forgotten about me."

An announcement goes over the intercom, grabbing the attention of the group, "Train to Musutafu leaves in 5 minutes."

"You know, for people as fast as me or Barry," chuckled Jay, "we can be surprisingly late. It also doesn't help that I had to swap to Japanese on a dime. Anyway, good luck to you!"

As Jay turned to leave, Buddy put a hand on Jay's arm, prompting Jay to turn back towards Buddy.

"Listen, I don't know you, your history, or your motives." Said Buddy, "But I do know Barry, at least I like to think so, and I believe him to be a good judge of character."

Jay looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"Well," said Buddy, "I'm just saying, if Barry thinks you're trustworthy, I'll back you up."

Jay gave Buddy a warm smile, "Thanks Buddy, I appreciate that."

"JAY!"

Jay turned to see that Barry was calling him over, the train was here.

"Gotta run!" said Jay, leaving Buddy to board the train. As Jay stepped onto the train, he gave Buddy another warm smile.

"Give me a call!" shouted Buddy, "Whether it's drinks or work, I'm always up for anything!"

Jay smiled back at Buddy before fully boarding the train, allowing it to depart.

* * *

The train cabins, while at first alive with energy, died down as people took their seats. Most of the cabins were fairly quiet as people talked in lower voices.

Well, all except one cabin.

"You what!" said Barry.

"We have a verbal agreement to not divulge this information!" Said Iida.

"C'mon guys," said Barry, "give me something! If you tell me, I'll tell you about where I went!"

"Absolutely not!" said Iida, "We have a-"

"We fought the hero killer Stain." Stated Todoroki.

"T-Todoroki!" said Midoriya, "The agreement!"

"I want to know where he went." Said Todoroki.

"You cannot flippantly violate the agreement like that Todoroki!" said Iida, "it's irresponsible!"

"I'm curious." Said Todoroki.

"You guys…." Said Barry, "fought a vigilante known for murdering pro heroes! How did you get out alive?!"

"Yeah!" said Mina, "I'd like to know too!"

Time passes, the sun rises further into the sky,

"Wow!" said Barry, "You guys really took Stain down! He had some kind of quirk involving blood?"

"Yeah!" said Midoriya, "If he ingests the blood of someone, he can paralyze them. For how long depends on the blood type."

"Creepy!" said Mina.

"Well, we told our side," said Todoroki, "Now tell yours."

"Actually, I'm pretty curious too." Said Mina.

Barry looked at Jay, who gave him a nod.

"Well," said Barry, "I went to a place called the Speed Force. It's also the source of my powers."

"The Speed Force?" said Midoriya, "It sounds like a form of energy."

"Try the inner fabric of reality itself." Said Barry.

Midoriya's eyes widened as audibly gasped.

"Fabric of reality?!" yelped Midoriya, "but how is that a place? Where is it located? What properties does it have-"

"Midoriya!" said Iida, "You're mumbling again."

"Ah!" said Midoriya, "Sorry!"

"If I might interject," said Jay, "I might explain it better."

Jay cleared his throat, "The Speed Force is a cosmic force that represents velocity and movement. It's what pushed velocity forward."

"You mean to say that," said Todoroki, "this Speed Force is time itself?"

"Yes, it is quite literally reality in motion!" said Jay.

"That's incredible!" said Midoriya, "But Barry mentioned that this Force was the source of your powers?"

"Sometimes, the Speed Force will choose someone to physically ingrain its power with." Said Jay, "We call ourselves speedsters."

"Wow, how are you guys chosen?!" said Midoriya.

"We get…Struck by lightning." Said Barry, rubbing the back of his head.

"…..eh?" said Midoriya, confused.

"I'm sorry, did I hear that right?" asked Iida, rubbing his ears, "Because I thought I heard you say you were struck by-"

"Lightning, yes." Said Barry, "That's how I got my speed."

Midoriya sat up in his seat, worried, "B-Barry! That must have hurt!"

"It did!" said Barry, "I was in a coma for months!"

Iida cocked his head, "If that's true, putting aside the horrid injury you likely sustained, then what did you put down for your quirk when you registered for U.A.?"

"I put super speed for my quirk," said Barry, "I thought my quirk just manifested late."

"Apologies for asking," said Jay, "But what is a quirk?"

The 5 students stared dumbfounded at Jay.

"You don't have quirks on your Earth?" asked Barry, "80% of the world has quirks."

"Is that what you call powers?" asked Jay, "Because only around 1% of the world has powers on my Earth. And another question, I've heard you all talk about learning how to be a hero at school? What does that mean?"

"We go to U.A., the most prestigious hero school in Japan!" said Midoriya, "What does Barry mean by your earth?"

Jay smirked, "It'd take a while to explain, and open up a door that this place isn't ready to open, so let's leave it at that if it's alright with you."

Midoriya gave Jay a strange look before returning his attention to Barry, "While we're on the subject of this Speed Force, you mentioned that you went there. How does that work, isn't it some kind of conceptual energy?"

"It's far from conceptual," said Jay, "and the Speed Force indeed manifests itself as its own extra-dimensional space."

"And it has Dinosaurs!" said Barry.

"Dinosaurs?!" said Midoriya, "But how does that work?! They went extinct long ago!"

"Well," said Barry, "Apparently, the Speed Force can pull things into that dimensional space at random, and it does it all across time!"

"Wow!" said Mina, "What dinosaurs did you see!"

"Well, A pterodactyl tried to take my head off," said Barry, "and I almost got bitten in half by a t-rex."

"Barry, that sounds awful!" said Iida, "Did you see a dinosaur that didn't eat you?"

"Well," said Barry, "I ate a velociraptor."

The cabin went dead silent, the ridiculousness of the statement giving everyone pause.

"What?" said Barry.

While the rest of the cabin process the fact that Barry had eaten a prehistoric reptile, Barry reflected back on the journey.

_Zoom, he was scary huh. Did he learn about bleeding me dry from the hieroglyphics?_

Suddenly, Barry was reminded of something…dark.

_That man dressed in yellow, was he the one who killed mom?_

*Snore*

The group turned towards Todoroki, who had fallen asleep.

"Did he seriously fall asleep?" said Barry.

"I don't think he was expecting an entire lecture on scientific mumbo jumbo." Said Mina, yawning, "and honestly, neither was I."

Mina yawned again, leaning her head on the glass, "Can you guys wake me up when we get to the station, cool thanks."

Mina dozed off instantly, leaving the rest of the boys to talk.

"That's a lot to chew on," said Midoriya, "I wonder how the rest of the class will react when they learn you entered a new dimensional space?"

"You'll find out soon." Said Jay, looking at the train schedule, "Because it looks like we're almost there."

"Barry!"

The group walked off the train, taking their belongings to the entrance to the station. As the group exited, a force wrapped its hands around Barry, lifting him up and crushing him.

"AGH!" said Barry, "You gotta tell me when you do that Kirishima!"

"C'mon Barry!" said Kirishima as he let Barry go, allowing him to clutch his sides, "You gotta have some surprises in life!"

"Yeah, I get that." Said Barry, "But I prefer surprises that don't crush my windpipe!"

The group erupted into laughter as Kirishima gave Barry a pat on the back.

"You gotta tell me all about your Work-Study," said Kirishima, "Cause I collected trash for all of mine."

Barry smiled, "Boy have I got a story for you!"

As the group, began to leave, Barry noticed that Jay was still standing around the entrance to the station.

"Jay?" said Barry, "Are you coming? If you don't have a place to crash, I can ask Forrest."

Jay looked back at Barry, smiling, "I've got it covered Barry, and I've got some things to catch up with! I'll see you later."

Barry gave Jay an approving nod before joining his friends. Jay smiled before speeding to the nearest library.

* * *

"Ah, this tea is very well made!"

Principal Nezu sat in his office, sipping his Jasmine tea. Across from him, was Toshinori, though he was currently in a less muscular form.

"I'm sure it is Nezu," said Toshinori, "but you called me in for a reason, right?"

"Nothing is wrong with wanting to share a cup of tea with a friend every now and then, right?" asked Nezu.

"Well, no, there isn't anything particularly wrong with that," said Toshinori, "but I don't have a teacup."

Nezu stared at his cup for a moment before looking up, "Ah, right."

Just as Nezu got up, a massive gust of wind blows in as an older man, dressed in a hero uniform and tin hat, practically flies through the door at top speed, stopping in front of the desk.

"I'm sorry," said the man, rubbing his helmet, "Is this principal Nezu's office?"

"Wha-!" yelped Toshinori

"Why yes, it is good sir!" said Nezu, completely unfazed.

"Oh!" said the man, noticing Toshinori, "Are you busy? I can come back later."

"No, it's quite alright. Take a seat." Said Nezu.

The man pulled a swivel chair to Nezu's desk, sitting down.

"You have a lovely office." Said the man.

"Why thank you," said Nezu, "May I ask your name?"

"Ah, where are my manners," said the man, shaking his head, "My name is Jay Garrick, a pleasure to meet you."

Jay offered his hand to Nezu, who promptly shook it with his stubby little arm.

"I must ask, Mr. Garrick," said Nezu, "How did you get into this office?"

"I filled out a visitation form." Said Jay.

"Don't those take a few hundred stacks of paperwork." Said Toshinori.

"It does, literally." Said Jay, "But I'm fast, so I got it done in a few hours."

"Ah, a fast one." Said Nezu, "Do you happen to have a connection to one Barry Allen."

Jay looked at Nezu, flabbergasted, "How did you know?!"

"I've been studying Mr. Allen," said Nezu, "His abilities seem to be far different to the average quirk, but you would know something about that, wouldn't you Flash." Nezu smiled, "Yes, I read your comics."

Jay chuckled, "Hah, I should introduce you to Detective Chimp."

"Who is this Detective Chimp?" asked Nezu.

"Parallel Earths," said Jay, "Considering your intellect I assume you're aware of the concept."

"Yes, I am." Said Nezu.

"Uh," said Toshinori, "This is getting a little complex."

"Don't worry Toshinori," said Nezu, "I can explain it to you later."

"All right," said Toshinori, "I'd best be off then."

Toshinori stood up and left the room, leaving the two great minds behind.

"He seems nice." Said Jay.

"He is." Said Nezu, "But on to other subjects, such as parallel worlds, and maybe the source of your speed."

Jay gave Nezu a strange look, "You sure know how to ask the right questions."

* * *

"Interesting," said Nezu, sipping his tea, "An entire cosmic force is why time moves forward?"

"Yep," said Jay, "you seem pretty good at understanding this stuff. This info tends to melt most people's brains when they think about it too much."

Nezu smiled, "You've explained your situation, how you got here. But from my understanding, you could go home at any time. Why stay?"

Jay's face grew dark, a frown on his face, as he leaned forward and whispered something into Nezu's ear. Nezu, who usually wore a smile 24/7, adopted a blank face.

"My," said Nezu as Jay sat in his seat again, "That is quite…tragic."

"You understand why I have to help Barry." Said Jay, "He needs guidance, from a fellow speedster."

Nezu's smile returns, "Yes, I understand, but you won't be doing that 24/7."

"Wait," said Jay, "You're agreeing to let me train Barry already?"

"You don't have to convince me," said Nezu, "I can see that you've got the purest of intentions."

Jay smiled to himself, but Nezu wasn't finished.

"Of course, you can help in other ways too." Said Nezu.

"What do you have in mind?" asked Jay.

Nezu drew a devilish smile on his face, "I have a few ideas!"

* * *

"DINOSAURS!" shouted Kirishima.

"Dude!" said Barry, "Not so loud!"

"What's this about Dinosaurs?" asked Tsuyu.

"Nothing!" said Barry.

Kirishima leaned over towards Barry's desk as the rest of the class filed in, "Dude, why don't you tell everyone about the insane interdimensional journey you had?!"

"Because then I would be answering questions all day," said Barry, "Besides, it wouldn't look good if they found out I was originally quirkless."

"Dude, it's fine!" said Kirishima.

"Wait," said Barry, "If I get my power from the Speed Force, does that mean I'm technically still quirkless?"

The door slid open, revealing the infamous homeroom teacher Aizawa. His mere presence prompted instantaneous silence from the class.

"Morning Class." Said Aizawa.

"Morning Sensei!" replied the class.

Aizawa walked to the podium, "I've got an announcement today, and he'll be teaching today's physics class while I take a nap."

"Ooh, a new teacher!" said Toru, "I wonder which former pro hero it is?"

"His name is…actually he should be introducing himself." Said Aizawa, motioning for someone to come in before pulling himself into his sleeping bag and falling asleep.

In stepped an older man, awkwardly tightening his tie while dressed in a full blue suit. Most of the class elicited looks of confusion, but Barry's heart practically burst from his chest and started doing the Macarena.

_No. Way._

The man stepped up to the podium, clearing his voice, "Hm Hm, hello class, my name is Jay Garrick, not a nickname, unfortunately."

_Best. Day. Of. My. Life._

"I'll be your new Physics teacher." Said Garrick, "Any questions?"

Yaoyorozu raised her hand, "Sir, I haven't heard of you before, nor do I know your experience as a teacher. This may come off as rude, but what makes you qualified to teach us the laws of physics?"

Jay smirked in response, sneaking a wink at Barry, "Well, it helps that I've broken them all."

The class was instantly in awe.

"He broke all the laws of physics?!" said Jiro.

"I wonder what his quirk is?" said Tsuyu.

"He must be experienced at that age!" said Shoji.

"Alright class, simmer down." Said Jay, "School is a place of learning, so that's what we're here to do."

Flashing another smile, Jay turned around, grabbing chalk for the board at super speed.

"How'd he do that?!" asked Kaminari.

"Now, class!" announced Jay, "Who can tell me the equation for speed?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost back to the main MHA narrative!


	33. A Villainous Interlude: Rogues Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Leonard Snart ponders his place in the world after being caught, as well as the whereabouts of his sister. When new things begin happening to him, he acts as a villain would!

The bar was mostly empty, its neon lit sign flashing open. It was by all means a normal bar, normal drinks, normal food, normal seats. There was just one thing unique about it.

It was the base of the League of Villains.

"Shigaraki," said Kurogiri, cleaning a glass behind the bar, "What's wrong now?"

Shigaraki, lazed next to the bar, resting his head on the counter.

"It's the damn hero killer," said Shigaraki, "After Hosu City, all the press want to talk about is that bastard."

Kurogiri placed the glass down, "It may be best that the League doesn't have a spotlight shining over it. We can't afford to be infamous at the moment with so little members."

"If that's your problem I'd suggest beefing up your ranks."

Kurogiri and Shigaraki turn in surprise to find a third person had entered the bar. The man was wearing a hoodie and jeans with sneakers, shrouding his face in shadow.

"Who are you?!" said Kurogiri, "How did you get in here?!"

"Hey, can't a guy get a drink?" asked the man before he turned his head to Shigaraki, "Sir, may I get a drink?"

"Don't waste your time on this fool." Said Kurogiri.

Shigaraki eyed the man, looking him up and down. While he was, to the naked eye, a normal person, Shigaraki could sense a foreboding danger to the man.

"No," said Shigaraki, "I want to know his deal."

"Thank you." said the man, "Bartender, a scotch please!"

Kurogiri grumbled, taking out a glass and pouring the man a scotch.

"Thank you sir!" said the man, taking a seat next to Shigaraki, "I've gotta say, this is a really nice bar!"

"I didn't give you a chance so you could kiss up to me." Said Shigaraki, "I gave you a chance because I got a feeling you could be useful to me. So spill it, how are you going to make yourself useful?"

The man sipped his scotch, taking a moment to savor it's taste, before answering, "I can prove an excellent ally, both physically and intellectually, but even with me on your side, we could use a few more people."

"Who do you have in mind?" asked Shigaraki.

The man rifled through his hoodie before pulling out an envelope, "Know how to forge a letter?"

* * *

"BREAKFAST IS READY INMATES!"

The booming voice of a prison guard woke Leonard Snart from his slumber. Stretching in his cot, Snart swung his legs onto the floor, allowing him to stretch his arms. It was a standard cell, a cot for sleeping and a toilet for using the bathroom. It even had a barred window for sunlight to come in.

_Another day. In here._

Snart sighed, he had finally been caught, and not just by a hero, by a boy.

_Flash, that's a name I'll remember._

"HEY, PRISONER!"

Snart looked to the cell door, staring down a guard who was obnoxiously banging his nightstick on the bars.

"Get out here, mealtime!" shouted the guard.

"I'm coming you sack of shit." Said Snart.

The guard eyed Snart with contempt but didn't make a move to strike or reprimand him.

_Heh, it's a better prison than China's was._

* * *

A chef spooned a massive glob of slop onto Snart's plate, but Snart didn't mind, he had eaten like this before. As he made his way through the meal room, he found his spot.

"Hermano!" said Mardon, "Have a seat!"

Snart sat down with the rest of his Rogues, what remains of them anyway. Snart sat next to Rory, who was completely wrapped up in bandages. Sitting across from him was Mardon, Jin, and Jesse, all grimly eating their food.

"Any news on Lisa or Scudder?" asked Snart.

"None as far as I heard," said Jesse, "you remember how Scudder looked when he got sucked in, I wouldn't be surprised if he was dead."

"Lisa was in bad shape the last time we saw her," said Mardon, "I hope she's ok, she's a Hermana to me."

"I wish we had something at least!" said Jesse, "You know what I had to do to ask for info? I had to clean the showers, and man was it nasty! I mean, who the hell takes a shit in the-"

"HEY!" said Rory, "I'm eating here!"

Snart took a look at the bandaged-up Rory, "Bandages don't suit you, Mick."

"I agree." Stated Rory, returning to his meal.

As Snart began to eat, he noticed that Jin was playing with his fork.

"What're you doing kid?" asked Snart.

"Making a lockpick out of the fork," whispered Jin, "Don't say anything."

"You want my advice," said Snart, leaning closer, "Wait a few weeks, let them get used to you. Then they'll relax around you and-"

"WHERE THE HELL IS LIEUTENANT COLD!"

Snart turned around to find a large burly man wandering about, waving his hands and ego around.

"I WANT TO TALK TO LIEUTENANT COLD!" yelled the man, kicking a table over.

Snart sighed, "The Bullshit never stops coming our way."

Standing up, Snart approached the man.

"YOU LIEUTENANT COLD?!" asked the man.

"It's captain," said Snart, "And yeah, I'm Captain Col-"

Snart didn't get to finish his sentence when the man struck Snart with a mean right hook, laying him flat. Snart quickly scrambled back to his feet as the giant of a man approached.

"You and your little gang of thieves cut the power in Fukuoka," said the man, "My daughter nearly died in the riots you caused!"

"It's not my fault your daughter was out so late." Joked Snart.

The man brought his fist down on Snart before picking him up by the collar with one hand, "I'm gonna kill you!"

"No, you won't."

The big man felt a sharp pain in his groin as Rory came up from behind, delivering a kick to the man's testicles. As the man dropped Snart, Rory tackled the man to the ground and began beating the tar out of him.

"You mess with one Rogue; you mess with ALL OF US!" shouted Rory.

The beating continued as Rory's bandages began to fall off as he began knocking out teeth.

"HAHAHA!" shouted Rory, "I haven't felt this alive since-"

A nightstick struck Rory over the head, causing him to stumble off of his now unconscious victim. A group of guards quickly restrained the struggling Rory, taking him away.

"PUT HIM IN SOLITARY!" shouted the guard, "AND AS FOR THE REST OF YOU, FOR LETTING AN INMATE DISTURB THE PEACE, THERE WILL BE NO FREE TIME. BACK TO YOUR CELLS!"

The rest of the room collectively groaned as they were shepherded back to their cells.

* * *

Snart stared out his barred window, the moon shining into the room.

_Could we have made it out?_

Snart went through the scenario of his capture over and over, thinking of ways he could have made it out. What made him frustrated wasn't that his chances of escaping were slim, but that his victory was all but assured, but dumb luck favored the heroes time and time again.

_When I get outta here, I gotta grab Lisa, make a run for Thailand._

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

Snart looked back to find a guard tapping his cell door with a nightstick.

"You tap my door one more time, I'll dislocate your jaw." Said Snart.

"Heh, unlikely, considering your in the cell and I'm not." Said the guard.

"What the hell do you want?" asked Snart.

"Mail," said the guard, pulling out an envelope, "Hope It's bad news, asshole."

The guard flicked the envelope into the cell, watching as it floated back out the cell, landing just outside the door, "oops."

The guard walked away, leaving Snart to reach through the bars and grab the letter. Sitting on his cot, Snart observed the envelope, noticing it was from the Fukuoka city hospital.

_Lisa?_

Snart cracked open the envelope, pulling out a printed letter, which read

_Dear Mr. Snart,_

_It is with great regret that we inform you of the death of one Lisa Snart. The patient passed away on the date of may 1_ _st_ _due to critical heart failure. As recompense, we have negotiated a reduced sentence for you, hopefully to reduce the burden on your heart._

_We at Fukuoka Hospital are again deeply sorry for your loss, and hope that the negotiations made are proper recompense._

_Sincerely, Fukuoka Hospital._

Snart held the letter for a few minutes, processing the message he had just written.

_Lisa is…dead?_

Snart began to shake, first in denial, then in terror. Tears fell down his cheeks as he squeezed the letter in his hands.

The crying continued for longer than Snart expected, but when the tears dried the feeling he had was no longer sadness.

No, Snart was angry.

_Flash._

Snart's hands tightened around the paper.

_Flash is the reason Lisa is dead._

Snart's hands began to get cold, frost forming at his palm.

_The Flash is a dead man._

*Crackle*

Snart looked down at the letter, surprised to find that it was now frozen solid! His hands were also caked in frost that reached all the way up his forearms to his elbows.

Gasping, Snart dropped the letter, watching it shatter into brittle pieces on the ground.

"What the hell was that?"

Snart looked back at the cell door then back to his hands, a look of realization on his face.

"Hey!" said the guard, who watched as Snart approached the door with his hands behind his back, "What was that sound?"

"There was glass in the envelope." Said Snart.

"We would have found that when we searched the letter." Said the guard before he noticed Snart hiding his arms, "What the hell? Show your hands now inmate."

"With pleasure." Said Snart before he flung his hands through the cell.

"AAAGHK!" shouted the guard as Snart froze him solid. Taking a ring of keys off the guard's belt, Snart unlocked his cell door and began making his way down the hall.

_I gotta find the others._

* * *

Snart strode down the hall, keeping an eye out for any of his fellow Rogues. Numerous Prisoners called out to him, hoping he would let them out, but Snart paid them no mind.

"Snart?!"

Snart recognized the voice that called him, following it to find James Jesse.

"Snart, how the hell did you get loose?!" asked Jesse.

"This." Replied Snart, showing his frost-covered forearm.

"Holy." Said Jesse, bewildered, "How did that happen?"

"I'd chalk it up to the science machine, maybe Jin knows more." Said Snart, unlocking Jesse's cell.

"Then we better find the kid." Said Jesse.

An explosion suddenly rocks the prison, taking Snart and Jesse by surprise.

"The hell was that?!" asked Jesse.

"I don't know," said Snart, "But if any of the others ended up like me, chances are it's one of them."

Snart and Jesse sprint down the hall, towards the next cell block.

* * *

"Oh my god."

The cellblock, with cells arranged in rows and on different levels, held a massive hole in the ceiling. Unconscious guards were strewn about, and inmates were exiting their cells. But the most surprising sight of all was Mardon.

Mardon was floating.

Snart and Jesse stood in awe of Mardon, who floated through the room, radiating lightning.

"Mardon!" shouted Snart, "Looks like I'm not the only one with powers!"

Mardon looked down, his eyes entirely blue from lightning, "Si Hermano, Jin's got them too, he's opening the door to solitary."

"Really?" said Jesse, "Where?"

The screeching of metal drew the three to a large metal door, a door currently being forced open by Jin. Only Jin wasn't using his hands.

He was opening it telepathically.

"Jin!" said Snart, "What are you doing?!"

"Getting to Rory," said Jin, "I assume you guys got powers, cause I can manipulate metal."

"I didn't get any powers." Pouted Jesse.

"RAAAAH!" shouted Jin, wrenching the massive metal door from its hinges. Unsurprisingly, Solitary was engulfed in flames.

"You guys are late."

Rory, lacking and bandages whatsoever, stepped out of the doorway and out of the flames. Despite his intense burns, Rory continued to emit heat, his hands even catching fire on occasion.

"Damn," said Snart, "You got lucky."

"So did you," said Rory, "We all did."

"Not everyone." Said Jesse.

"We should probably be going now," said Mardon, "There's a full-scale riot going on, only a matter of time till the heroes put it down."

"FREEZE!"

The Rogues turned to find a squad of riot guards had surrounded them, shields and batons included.

"What the hell?!" said one guard, "I thought this prison only housed Quirkless inmates?"

"There must have been a mistake," said another guard, "We'll have to take them to a new place."

"Not happening buddy." Said Jin, "We're the Rogues, and we're getting out."

"Si, prepare to be schooled losers." Said Mardon.

The riot guards and the Rogues stared each other down for a moment or two before charging at each other. However, just as the guards reach the Rogues, a portal forms, causing both parties to be transported to different places.

* * *

"Where are they?" asked Shigaraki.

"They're almost here." Said Kurogiri, "By the way, the other three, including Harkness' son, are coming later this month. We must make room."

Shigaraki sighed, "Fine."

Kurogiri opens a portal, allowing the Rogues to spill out onto the bar floor.

"What the hell?!" said Rory, "Where did we go?!"

"To a bar." Said the hooded man, "Where else?"

The Rogues quickly stood up, bewildered but forming a circle.

"What the hell did you do?!" said Snart, "Tell us why we're here."

"Calm down." Said Shigaraki, aggressively scratching his neck, "You're safe, we're all friends here."

"Easy for you to say." Said Rory, "You kidnapped us and dropped us on your property."

"You're free to leave." Said Shigaraki, "But at least hear me out."

The Rogues looked at each other, unsure.

"I say we give him a chance," said Jin, "Maybe it's lucrative."

"Maybe." Said Jesse, "or maybe it's a new path to death."

"Shut up," said Snart, "What the hell do you want?"

Shigaraki smirked, "Me personally? I want to destroy everything I hate."

"That's not very specific." Said Snart.

"He wants to destroy heroes." Said the hooded man, "Heroes like the Flash."

"Who's the Fla-" said Shigaraki before the hooded man put a finger up to his face.

"Trust me on this one." Whispered the man before he approached the Rogues.

"What the hell do you know about the Flash?" asked Snart, "Tell me now, or I'll make this room so cold you'll be chipping frost out from under your toenails."

"Now now," said the man, "I hate the Flash, you hate the Flash, That makes us allies right?"

Snart looked skeptical, "Why do you hate the Flash?"

The man shifted his stature, his face still shrouded in shadow, "The Flash has dealt me a grievous wrong, something so terrible that I need to exact something even worse on him." Snart could here the pure venom the man's voice had, "I want to make the Flash the most broken boy on the planet."

The man walked up to Snart, "You want to hurt him too, right? He took you and your Rogues down." The man pointed at Shigaraki, "He can help you take the Flash down, but only if you join him."

The man backed away, "Your choice."

The Rogues began to talk amongst themselves.

"The bastard hurt us, took Scudder and Lisa out of the picture." Said Mardon, "I say we join, get our just desserts."

"You kidding?!" said Jesse, "We're the Rogues, we're thieves, we don't do revenge."

"Lisa is dead." Said Snart.

The rest of the Rogues went dead silent, looking at Snart.

"She died due to the injuries sustained during out fight with Flash." Said Snart, Frost traveling up his arms, "She's dead, because of him."

Snart walked over next to Shigaraki before turning to the rest of the Rogues, "I say we hunt the bastard down, for Lisa."

The Rogues stood in turmoil, unsure of what to say. They milled about for a few minutes, considering their options.

The first person to step forward was Rory.

"No matter what," said Rory, "I'm with you till the end brother."

Snart nodded as Rory was soon followed by Mardon and Jin.

"Lisa was a Rogue." Said Mardon.

"And the Rogues take care of each other." Said Jin.

Snart nodded as the three stood by his side, leaving only Jesse.

"Jesse?" said Snart.

"I…" said Jesse, "For Lisa."

Jesse joined the rest of the Rogues, letting Shigaraki know they were all in.

"Good." Said Shigaraki, "Very good."

"Indeed." Said the hooded man, "The heroes won't know what hit them."

And so there they stood, the new Rogues. Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Weather Wizard, Trickster, and Jin. A new dangerous team had formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who have stuck with this story, thank you, seriously!


	34. Back Into The Swing Of Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry readjusts to life after his reality shattering adventure, unaware that the most dangerous man he will ever face is upon him.

"Are you serious?"

"Um, yeah, totally serious."

Derek stared at Barry at the lunch table, dumbfounded. The two had chosen to sit together so that Derek could catch up on what happened.

"No way." Said Derek, "I've read about this kind of stuff in comic books and stuff, but I never expected that something like that was real!"

"Yeah man, Speed Force, source of my power!" said Barry.

"Jeez!" said Derek, "I wish I had a whole dimension to power my quirk!"

"Trust me, it was dangerous." Said Barry, "I almost got eaten by a dinosaur."

"Your dimension has dinosaurs!" said Derek, "Now I really want my own dimension!"

"James!"

Derek sighed loudly as Monoma approached the table.

"Ugh," said Derek, getting up from the table, "This'll be quick."

"I see that you are consorting with the enemy," said Monoma, "you understand that this is a complete and total betrayal of your class!"

"No, it's not." Said Derek, "Barry is literally just a friend from Class 1-A, why do you have to make everything a fight between classes?!"

"It's the plus ultra way!" said Monoma, "Nothing more needs to be said!"

"It's unneeded hostility is what it is." Said Derek.

"Hmph," grunted Monoma, grabbing Derek's wrist, "We'll discuss this in front of our peers!"

"No, we won't," said Derek, quickly making a rift underneath Monoma and dropping him into an unknown location.

"Are you sure you should be doing that?!" said Barry, clearly worried, "He's your own teammate."

"Oh, he's fine." Said Derek, "He'll only spend a few minutes in the Arabian desert."

"Incorrect!"

A rift suddenly appears above Derek, dumping a bunch of sand on him.

"Agh!" shouted Derek.

"Haha!" said Monoma, falling out of the rift and onto his feet, "You forget Derek! I can copy any quirk!"

"Jeez!" said Derek, spitting out sand, "It itches everywhere!"

"Hah!" said Monoma, "Now you know how I fe-"

Monoma's speech is abruptly stopped when a massive hand strikes the back of his head. As Monoma falls, Derek and Barry realize the hand belongs to Kendo.

"Kendo!" said Derek, "Thanks, I didn't expect him to pull such a reversal."

"He's smarter than you think." Said Kendo before she noticed Derek's head full of sand, "Where did you send him?"

"The Arabian Desert," said Derek, "Though I probably shouldn't send him anywhere, it's a little harsh."

"It is," said Kendo, "and he is our classmate."

"Right." Said Derek, "Well, I'll just be goi-"

"Hey!" said Kendo, "You're still covered in sand."

"What?" said Derek before looking at himself, "Oh, right."

"Here, I'll help you out!" said Kendo, enlarging her hands and picking Derek up.

"Wait!" said Derek, "What are you-"

Kendo shook Derek up and down, getting sand everywhere.

"uuwguwguwguwguwgwug!" grunted Derek, unable to get a coherent word out.

Kendo finally stopped shaking Derek, setting him down, "There, is that better?"

While Derek was indeed sand-free, he wasn't exactly in a coherent state of mind.

"I'mreallydizzy." Said Derek before stumbling back to his seat, "HeyBarrydoyouevergetdizzy?"

"Sometimes Derek." Said Barry, somehow understanding the flood of words coming out of Derek's mouth, "Sometimes."

* * *

"Basic Hero Training!"

All-Might's voice could be heard for miles as he instructed Class 1-A. The class had been moved to a blank industrial area training zone.

"For today's training, since you've all just gotten back from your internships," said All-Might, "We'll have a fun rescue training race!"

_Race? I've got this in the bag!_

"This is field gamma!" shouted All-Might, showing off a mess of pipes and factories, "It's an intricate labyrinth of factories and pipes! You'll break into 3 five-person teams and one six-person team and traverse the area one team at a time!"

_Cool, I'm not racing the whole team._

"When I send a distress signal from somewhere inside, you'll make your way from the outskirts to my location." Said All-Might, "Whoever reaches me first wins!"

Barry smiled.

_I've got this in the bag!_

* * *

The rest of the class sat down in front of a large screen surveying the field, showing the first team, consisting of Iida, Barry, Midoriya, Sero, Mina, and Ojiro.

"Wow, this team's got all the mobile classmates!" said Kaminari, "Who's the most likely?"

"Barry, hands down man," said Kirishima, "He's crazy fast, he'll reach All-Might in no time!"

"It seems unfair pitting Midoriya against everyone else though." Said Yaoyorozu, "He's not exactly in control of his quirk."

"I'm sure he'll get the hang of it."

The class turned around in surprise to find their Physics teacher, Jay Garrick, watching with them, though he was clad in his hero costume.

"What're you wearing Mr. Garrick?" asked Shoji.

"Oh, this old thing," said Jay, "It's my hero outfit! I've been using it for around 50 years now."

"You don't look that old." Said Mineta.

"Mineta! That's rude!" said Tsuyu.

"Oh no, he's quite right." Said Jay, "I'm an old-timer. But I've got my share of experiences. By the way, Mineta, did you finish your homework on wind resistance yet?"

"Um, yes!" said Mineta, "I do my work!"

"Good!" said Jay, "You've got a good record in terms of grades, keep it up and you'll be well on your way."

"Gee, thanks!" said Mineta.

"On the topic of the race, who do you think would win Mr. Garrick?" asked Jiro.

"Hmm," said Jay, "I would say Sero."

"Wha-!" said most of the class.

"But Barry's clearly the fastest!" said Uraraka.

"On even ground, yes." Said Jay, "But this is a maze of factory equipment, pipes, and towers. He can't run straight to All-Might, he has to navigate the maze. Sero has the mobility and flexibility to skip the maze and make a beeline for All-Might."

"Oh!" said Kirishima, "I never thought of it that way!"

"If Barry plays it smart, he could make it though." Said Jay, "Finger's crossed."

* * *

Barry stretched his legs, taking deep breaths.

_C'mon Barry, this will be a cakewalk._

Barry hopped on the balls of his feet, ready for action.

_You've got a whole universe powering you, you can do this._

Barry's remembrance of the Speed Force, initially a way to pump himself up, unfortunately also brought other memories.

_Who was the man in yellow? What's his connection to mom?_

Barry stopped bouncing on his feet, the enthusiasm dropping.

_I know I should be studying, practicing. But I've got the first clue as to who killed mom, in 6 years no less! I need to jump on this while I have the cha-_

*HONK*

An air horn sounds off as the race starts, catching Barry off guard.

"Oh crap!" said Barry, getting into a stance and exploding from his starting position.

Barry sped down the streets of field gamma, desperately trying to navigate through the concrete and metal maze before him.

_Left, Right, Left, Right, AAAGH this is getting me nowhere!_

Barry's eyes widen when he turns straight into a dead end. Sliding to a stop, Barry turns around, stumped.

_This is crazy! How is anyone gonna spend less than an hour trying to get anywhere?!_

Suddenly, a shadow moves over Barry, causing him to look up and catch Sero using his tape to swing above the complex.

_Sero is…..Above the maze? Why didn't I think of that?!_

Barry raced back into the maze, searching frantically until he found what he was looking for.

Stairs.

_Now we're talking!_

Barry raced up 6 flights of stairs in seconds, bursting through the door onto the rooftop, where he witnessed something surprising. Midoriya was leaping from building to building, pipe to pipe, and Barry had arrived just in time to find Midoriya passing Sero.

_Midoriya's not getting hurt? That's great! And it looks like he's using Bakugo's way of getting around, leaping between objects._

Barry smiled, getting into a running stance.

_I doubt he'll mind if I copy him too._

Barry sprinted towards the edge of the rooftop, making a running jump that allows him to reach the next building.

* * *

"Gah!" said Mina, exhausted as she climbed up the side of a building.

_Maybe using acid to scale a vertical surface wasn't the smartest idea._

Suddenly, Midoriya leaped past Mina, causing her to gasp.

"Midoryia?" said Mina.

Almost immediately afterward, Sero passed Mina too, giving chase to Midoriya.

"Sero?!" said Mina.

Then came a familiar red blur of yellow lightning.

"HiMinabyeMina!" said the blur.

It took Mina a moment to realize who just passed her.

"BARRY?!"

* * *

"Hi Sero!" said Barry, leaping past Sero.

"What the!" said Sero, "You too Barry?!"

"Hey, if it works for him, it works for me!" said Barry.

Barry continued his strategy, leaping from pipe to pipe.

"Midoriya!" said Barry, "Nice moves!"

"Thanks, Barry!" said Midoriya before his eyes bulged out of their sockets, "Wait, Barry?! How are you up here?!"

"You gave me the idea for copying Bakugo!" said Barry.

"Oh no, I hope he isn't mad!" said Midoriya.

Barry makes an extra powerful jump, leaping over Midoriya.

"WOOHOO!" cheered Barry.

Landing on a rooftop, Barry spotted All-Might on a nearby rooftop.

_In the home stretch!_

Barry grinned as he raced towards the rooftop's edge, ready to make another jump.

"WOOHOOooooo"

Out of nowhere, time slowed, Barry's cheer slowly but surely slowed to a stop as his body and consciousness became frozen in time. The wind, the dust kicked up by Barry's feet, all frozen.

"Barry Allen."

A man in a hoodie suddenly appeared on the rooftop, circling Barry.

"My goodness, so young, and only a few years away from ruining someone's life." Said the man, "It's ironic, you look so….innocent despite what you've already been through."

The man stopped in front of Barry, "The security in this place is tight, even someone moving at the speed of sound would get caught. Luckily, someone moving at the speed of light is too fast for the sensors to detect."

The man stood directly in front of Barry, placing his hands on Barry's smiling face, "You know, a simpler man would just kill you here and now, break your neck, send a message. End his vendetta."

Instead of throttling Barry, the man began to stroke Barry's cheek, "But I'm not a simple man, and I think your punishment needs to be a little more effective, a little harsher." The man chuckled, "Actually, make that a lot harsher."

The man looked over the towards All-Might, "Heh, making a jump, are we?"

The man grinned a wicked grin as he kicked Barry's foot out from under him, "Oops."

Then the man left, disappearing as fast as he had appeared.

"ooooooOOOOO"

Barry's cheer ended abruptly as his legs suddenly tripped over themselves, causing him to tumble over the edge. Thinking quickly, Barry grabbed the ledge, pulling himself up, but the damage was done as Sero sailed over him right onto All-Might's rooftop.

* * *

"Aw man!" said Mina, "how did I mess up so bad?!"

"It's not your fault," said Barry, "You got matched up against the most mobile of our classmates."

"That doesn't make me feel better." Said Mina, watching All-Might award Sero a medal, "You looked like you had it in the bag Barry, what happened?"

"I tripped," said Barry, "Like Midoriya."

Midoriya groaned in response.

"No Offense Midoriya." Said Barry.

"None taken I guess." Said Midoriya.

"Alright!" said All-Might, "Let's get the next team in!"

As the 6 left, Barry sighed, walking down the stairs and towards the exit.

_I was distracted, wasn't I? I was too focused on Mom, the man in yellow._

Barry froze, his ears picking up a faint sound. It sounded almost like…

Laughter.

"Barry?" said Mina, "What is it?"

Barry sighed, "Nothing, probably just the wind."

* * *

"Man, I really wish I hadn't screwed up that jump." Said Barry.

"Don't worry about it." Said Midoriya, "I messed up too remember?"

The boys of Class 1-A undressed in their locker room, getting ready for the next class.

"Hey Barry?!" said Kirishima, enthusiastic, "After school, wanna grab a snack?! I heard about this new udon place; it's supposed to be super good!"

Barry looked at Kirishima, his sheer enthusiasm bringing a smile to his face even though Kirishima basically ambushed him in his underwear.

_Kirishima. He's been there for me forever. He's the best friend I could ask for._

Barry's smile begins to fade.

_But I haven't told him about Mom. I haven't given him the time of day recently. I let Mina in on the truth on accident, but she's been nothing if not supportive. Kirishima will feel the same way, right?_

Barry took a deep breath, "Kirishima, I have to tell you somethi-"

"Hey Barry!" shouted Mineta, "Check this out!"

Barry groaned, his attempt at honesty ruined, "What Mineta?"

"Come here and see!" said Mineta.

Barry turned to Kirishima, "Yes on udon, I'll be there!" said Barry before he went over to Mineta.

"What is it Mineta?" asked Barry, "I was in the middle of something."

"Check this out man!" said Mineta, pointing at a hole behind a peeled back poster.

"A hole?" said Barry, "You pulled me out of a conversation, for a hole?"

"Not just any hole, apprentice Barry!" said Mineta.

"Apprentice?!" said Barry.

"This hole was made by generations upon generations of boys before us, and it leads to you know where!" said Mineta.

"No, I don't know where, and I don't care." Said Barry.

"It leads to the girl's locker room!" said Mineta, "See, you are uneducated my apprentice."

"Stop calling me your apprentice!" shouted Barry, "And don't you dare think about peeking!"

"What?" said Mineta, "Got a particular girl you want to yourself?"

"NO!" said Barry, blushing, "As a matter of fact, I don't!"

"Good!" said Mineta, getting closer to the hole, "then you won't mind if I-"

At super-speed, Barry shoved Mineta away and slid the poster over the hole.

"If I catch you peeping even once," said Barry, pointing his finger accusingly at Mineta, "You're gonna take a trip to the proper authorities!"

"Fine," said Mineta, "I didn't expect you to be a prude like Iida."

"I'm not a Prude!" shouted Barry.

"And neither am I!" said Iida.

Barry crossed his arms, "If that's it, I'll be on my way."

Barry turned his back on Mineta, walking away. This would be a mistake.

"Yaah!" shouted Mineta, hurling a ball at Barry's hand.

"What the?!" said Barry as the ball hit his hand, sticking his hand to the wall, "Damnit Mineta!"

"Barry," said Mineta, ripping the poster from the wall, "You have potential as my apprentice, especially with your ability to vibrate through walls!"

Mineta placed his eye over the hole, "You could basically peek into the girl's locker room and they wouldn't notice! You wouldn't need a hole like this one to catch some real boobie-"

Mineta is interrupted when Jiro's earphone jack flies through the hole, piercing his eyes.

"AGH!" cried Mineta, shouting in pain as he held his eye.

"HA!" said Barry, "Justice has been served! Now to dislodge this ball from my body!"

"Indeed Barry!" said a voice from the other side, "Mineta has been properly punished."

Barry pulled his arm, trying to rip it from the wall, even going as far as to put his foot on the wall in an attempt to force it off.

"Wait a minute," said Barry, "I can just vibrate out of this!"

Barry began to vibrate his molecules, ready to free himself from the ball. Unfortunately, Barry's current position, a foot planted on the wall, was not the best stance to take. Instead of detaching himself from the ball, Barry's foot phased into the wall, followed by his whole body.

"AAH!" gasped Barry, phasing through the wall completely and into another person's locker.

"Gah!" said Barry, "Where am I?"

"What was that?" said a feminine voice.

"Hello?" said Barry, "I was trying to free myself from Mineta's ball, but I went through the wall to this-"

Barry's face went red when he realized it.

He had phased into the girls locker room.

"Haha!" shouted an annoying voice, "that's my apprenti-"

"SHUT UP MINETA," shouted Barry, "I AM NOT, NOR WILL I EVER BE, YOUR APPRENTICE!"

"Um, there's a boy in the room." Stuttered one of the girls, likely Jiro.

With no intention to peep, Barry announced his presence clearly.

"Hey, I'm stuck in an empty locker!" said Barry, "I'm turned the other way so I can't look at any of you, but I'm unsure how to get back."

"Oh!" said Yaoyorozu, "Just phase back."

"My heart rates a little high," said Barry, "I might make a big hole by accident if I mess up."

"That would definitely be unfavorable." Said Tsuyu.

"Maybe if I just open the locker door and run out real fast, Nobody will see me and I won't have to see you." Said Barry.

"That sounds ok I guess." Said Uraraka, "But what are you wearing."

"Don't worry," said Barry, "I'm wearing a pair of underwe-"

Barry looked down, his eyes widening as he made a sound comparable to a squeal of terror.

"Barry?!" said Mina, approaching the locker, "You ok in there?"

"Nope!" said Barry, red as a tomato, "I lost my underwear in the wall."

Silence descended over the locker room as the rest of the girls grew red in embarrassment.

"So Barry is…Naked?!" stuttered Uraraka.

"Nobody has to see me naked!" said Barry, "I need a towel!"

"Oh, You can borrow mine!" said Mina, rushing to her locker and pulling out a towel before rushing over to the locker Barry was in, "Here!"

"Thanks!" said Barry, reaching out and grabbing the towel, wrapping himself in it before rocketing out of the locker and out the door.

_Don't look don't look don't look!_

"Whew!" said Mina, wiping her forehead, "That was close, right girls?"

Instead of the girls affirming Mina's statement, they just stared slack-jawed at her.

"What?" asked Mina.

"You gave Barry, a nude boy, your towel." Said Jiro.

"Yeah?" said Mina, "You let friends borrow things from time to time."

"Mina!" said Tsuyu, "He was naked. The towel touched his…well, you know!"

Mina took a second, processing the information before her face became redder than an apple.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the MHA narrative!


	35. A Flash Carol (Christmas Special)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Constantine and Unnamed Author return for A Christmas Carol, Flash Edition!

"What. In Etrigan the Demon's hell. Am I wearing?"

John Constantine sat in a comfortable armchair in front of the fireplace of the house of mystery. Instead of the drab minimalist look from before, the house's interior was decorated with various festive lights and even a Christmas tree/Mistletoe. Constantine wasn't wearing his usual trench coat, instead sporting an extremely ugly hand-knitted Christmas sweater.

"It's the Christmas season," said a man in another armchair, "You gotta get into the holiday spirit."

"I would love too." Said Constantine, "But it's quite hard when you replaced all the whiskey with eggnog."

"Eggnog is amazing though!" said the man, "Just add nutmeg and you've got the perfect holiday drink."

"I prefer my eggnog mixed with alcohol." Said Constantine, "Just because you're not old enough to drink it doesn't mean I can't enjoy it."

"Fine!" said the man, pulling out a piece of paper and scribbling something on it. Seconds later, a bottle of whiskey appears in Constantine's hand.

"Bottoms up!" said Constantine, taking a swig, "So, what's the plan for this one?"

"Christmas carol, but featuring Mr. Allen." Said the man, "it was originally a trippy Christmas dream, but this is better."

"Really? Any scrapped details on the Christmas dream?" asked Constantine.

"Santa would have called Barry, and I quote." Said the man, "A pussy ass bitch."

"Hah!" said Constantine, "That's a good one!"

* * *

"I'm home!" said Barry, closing the door to the apartment.

"Barry!" said Forrest, "How was school?!"

"It was alright." Said Barry, sliding his backpack off, "I'm still getting used to Kirishima as a friend. It's only been a few months."

"It's good progress though!" said Forrest, smiling while sitting on the couch, "Today's work was murder, literally. A nasty body got pushed into the river. It was nasty."

"I'll probably be dealing with stuff like that when I become a C.S.I." said Barry.

Forrest smiled, "In other news, tomorrow's Christmas Barry. Wanna watch some classics? A Christmas Carol is on!" said Forrest.

"Sorry Forrest," said Barry, walking upstairs to his room, "I've got work to do."

"Work on Christmas Eve?" said Forrest, skeptical, "I don't think they'd assign anything over the break."

"I'm working on a personal project." Said Barry, "it's important."

Forrest frowned as he walked to the staircase, spotting Barry outside his room.

"Hey Barry," said Forrest, rubbing the back of his head, "You're not still stuck on…that case?"

Barry looked down at Forrest, "I'm going to crack it, with or without your help."

Forrest sighed, "I know Barry, but can't it wait? It's Christmas eve, you should spend it with your family."

"You're not my family." Said Barry, "My mom was, and I'm going to solve her murder."

Forrest stared up at Barry dishearteningly before sighing again and going back to the couch, leaving Barry to enter his room.

* * *

"Nora Allen, Nora Allen." Said Barry, typing away at his laptop, "Nora Allen Murder."

The article he had been poring over yesterday was the same as before, but Barry obsessed over every little detail anyway, trying to find a sign or a clue.

"God." Said Barry, "It's all the same, there's nothing."

Barry slams the Laptop shut, angrily sliding it aside before walking over to his notebook and jotting down a few notes.

*Yawn*

Barry yawned, clearly a little tired.

_Maybe I should get more sleep instead of going over the evidence so often._

Barry yawned again, placing his head on his desk.

"I'll just rest my head for a moment, then it's back to work." Said Barry.

* * *

"Barry."

"Huh?"

"Barry, wake up."

Barry's eyes opened as he felt a presence behind him.

"Who is that?!" said Barry, whirling around.

Barry's eyes widened however when he realized who it was. It was a man he didn't think he would see again, a man he loved with all his heart.

It was Henry Allen.

"D-Dad?" said Barry.

"Not exactly Slugger." Said Henry, "But I took this form to give you a messa-"

Barry leaped out of his chair, tacking Henry with a hug, "I don't understand! How did you get out?"

"I didn't," said Henry.

Barry stumbled back, "What? Then how are you-"

"Because I'm not Henry Allen." Said the entity, "I'm the messenger."

"Messenger?" asked Barry, "Who sent the message?"

"You'll see." Said the entity, "For now, I'll give you the message."

Barry stood expectantly, taking a deep breath.

"You need to slow down." Said the entity.

Barry looked confused, "What?"

"You need to pay attention to the people around you, not let yourself get sucked into something that happened in the past." Said the entity.

Barry's brows furrowed, "I can't waste time on stuff like that, I have to help my real dad, get justice for Mom!"

"That doesn't mean you have to throw away your own life and hurt others in the process." Said the entity.

"How is helping my dad going to hurt others?" asked Barry, "Working on my mom's case is the best use of Christmas time anyway."

"Maybe," said the entity, "But are you happier doing it?"

"What does that mean?" asked Barry.

"It mean….bah, let me just show you." Said the entity, walking forward and touching Barry's temple with his finger.

* * *

"What the?!" said Barry, in an entirely new house, "Where am I?!"

Barry's eyes darted around, spotting various pieces of furniture and family photos.

_That's an old couch, it looks like the one I used to sit on. That's Toy Story, one of my favorite movies. Wait! Is this?_

Barry's eyes widened as he realized where he was.

"You're childhood home?"

Barry turned to find the entity, still looking like Henry Allen.

"Can you look like someone else?" asked Barry, "It's making me uncomfortable."

"Sure Slugger, in a sec," said the entity.

Barry began to explore his old home, revisiting old memories.

"Oh man," said Barry, "That's my old bedroom!"

Walking in, Barry found the bedroom as he remembered it. Draped in Flash Merchandise.

"Hey!" said Barry, approaching a small aquarium, "It's Whatzit, my old Turtle!"

The turtle swam around the aquarium, content.

"Hey," said the entity, leaning on the doorframe, "You're gonna want to see this."

Barry walked back through the door, entering the living room.

That's when he saw his mother.

Barry's eyes widened, shocked by the sight. The last time he had seen his mother she was a corpse on the floor. Now, she was perfectly happy, smiling as she read a story to a younger Barry.

"And then, Santa said, Rudolph with your nose so bright, won' you guide my sleigh tonight?" said Nora Allen, imitating Santa's deep voice.

"Mom!" said a young Barry, "What happened next?!"

"Well, after Rudolph guided Santa's sleigh with his big red glowing nose, all the reindeer loved him!" said Nora, "Just like I love you!"

Nora poked young Barry's stomach, tickling him while young Barry squealed with laughter.

"Hey, guys!"

Barry turned to find the real Henry Allen enter the room, "Santa Claus is coming to town is on, who wants to watch?"

"ME ME ME!" shouted younger Barry, racing past Henry.

"Ha!" said Henry as Nora walked up to him, "The little Slugger's still got some energy!"

"He's gonna have energy until the sun gives out Henry." Said Nora.

"Heh, that he will honey." Said Henry, pulling Nora into an embrace.

Barry looked on, smiling. He hadn't felt this good in a long time.

"This is how one should spend Christmas." Said the Entity, "With Friends, With Family."

Barry turned to the entity, "I can't."

"Why not?" asked the entity.

Barry looked back at his family, all gathered on the couch, "Because this whole family has been destroyed. My mom is dead, my dad is in jail. I don't have family to spend Christmas with. The only thing I can do is get justice for both of them. And stop looking like my dad, it's making me uncomfortable."

The entity sighed before touching Barry's temple, "Then I'll have to show you more."

* * *

The two reentered Barry's present-day apartment.

"Can you stop?" asked Barry before being taken aback, "You chose Kirishima?"

The entity, now taking the form of Barry's new best friend, shrugged, "You wanted something different."

"Sure, it's better." Said Barry, "But what are we doing back at the apartment?"

The entity walked into the living room, showing Barry in, "This way."

Barry followed the entity, finding Forrest sitting on the couch alone mixing alcohol with eggnog.

"Forrest?" said Barry, "Why are you showing me him?"

"Look at him, Barry." Said the entity, "You'll understand."

Barry turned to Forrest, taking a good look at him. Forrest slouched on the couch, frowning. He sipped his drink while watching a Christmas Carol, but he didn't seem very invested.

"He doesn't seem to be enjoying himself." Said Barry, "Why?"

"You're not there Barry." Said the entity.

Barry looked up, "What?"

"Barry, Forrest loves you like a son." Said the entity, "He wants to spend time with you on Christmas eve."

"Forrest is just my guardian." Said Barry, "He doesn't love me."

"Barry." Said the entity, "He moved halfway around the world for you. If that's not love, I don't know what to call it."

Barry looked back at Forrest, who sadly sipped his eggnog.

"I….I have to keep working." Said Barry, "I love Forrest, but my mom takes priority."

The entity sighed, "Then I have but one final demonstration."

Without even touching Barry, the entire room fell away, causing Barry to plummet into nothingness.

"AAAAAAAAAAGH!"

* * *

"OOF!"

After falling for what seemed like forever, Barry landed on his backside. Rubbing his hind end, Barry stood up. While there was solid ground beneath him, it was completely enveloped in fog. The Fog was so thick in fact, that Barry could barely see 5 feet ahead of him.

"Where are you?!" shouted Barry, "You said you wanted to show me something?"

"Come." Said a voice, "Follow my voice."

Barry, latching onto the voice, followed it through the fog. As Barry moved through, he noticed the fog slowly dissipating. Eventually, he arrived at a figure, cloaked in a hood.

"What, no disguising yourself as someone I know?" asked Barry.

"No.," said the entity, "I am in my true form, the cloak is simply there to prevent you from being scared."

The entity then gestures to a stone slab on the ground, causing Barry to realize something.

"I get it." Said Barry, "This is a dream with the plot of a Christmas Carol. You showed me the past, the present, and now the future."

The hooded entity was silent.

"Next, you'll tell me if I stick to this path I'll die." Said Barry, "This is my gravestone."

"No.," said the entity, "These are not your graves."

"Not my-" said Barry, "did you say graves?"

The fog suddenly lifted, revealing a massive field of graves stretching for miles and miles.

"If you do not right your path," said the entity, "you will not pay the price, the rest of them will."

Barry's eyes widened as he began to hyperventilate. Looking at the first grave, he saw the name etched into it.

Eijiro Kirishima.

"No.," said Barry, "NO!"

"They are friends and family." Said the entity, "Those you will love and lose. Some you know, some you will come to know."

Turning back to the entity, Barry grabbed the cloak and ripped it off of him, "WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

As soon as the cloak left the entity, Barry realized his mistake. Under the cloak was what Barry could only describe as a zombie, wearing a strange Black hero suit with lightning bolts coming off of it. As soon as Barry ripped off the cloak, the entity made an unnatural screech before grabbing Barry and lifting him into the air.

"AAAAAGH!" screamed Barry.

"I AM THE ANGEL OF DEATH WHO USHERS SPEEDSTERS TO THEIR FINAL END, I AM THE BLACK FLASH!" Shouted the entity, "DO YOU WISH TO DEPART EARLY?!"

"NO!" Shouted Barry, "I don't want to die, I don't want to hurt anyone with my goals, I just want to catch whoever killed my mom!"

The entity brought Barry closer to its face, causing Barry to stare into its milky eyes.

"DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR FRIENDS TO SURVIVE?!" Said the entity.

"Yes!" said Barry.

"THEN HEED MY WARNING BARRY ALLEN!" said the entity before throwing Barry into the sky, "OR IT WILL BE THE DEATH OF ALL."

"AAAAAAAGH" screamed Barry as he flew higher and higher into the sky.

* * *

"DEAGH!"

Barry grunted as his head shot upwards, drool pouring from his mouth.

_That was all a dream, right?_

Barry checked the time, 9 o clock, not too long before bed.

_Maybe I should keep wor-_

Barry stopped, reflecting on the dream he just had. Taking a second to think, he nodded before standing up.

* * *

"Forrest?"

Forrest turned around, seeing Barry carrying a plate of cookies and milk.

"Barry?" said Forrest, rubbing his eyes, "I thought you were studying."

"I decided it was more important to spend time with a family member." Said Barry, "Is a Christmas Carol still on?"

"Sorry Barry," said Forrest, "You missed it."

Barry frowned, looking down, "I'm sorry Forrest, I shouldn't have been so cold before. I didn't mean to upse-"

"Hey, it's ok Barry." Said Forrest, "And you know what, A Christmas Carol is great and all, but It's a Wonderful Life is up next. That's a real classic."

Forrest patted the spot next to him on the couch, to which Barry immediately jumped onto the spot, placing the cookies and milk down on the coffee table in front of them. As the movie started, Barry leaned over onto Forrest. While Forrest was startled by the action at first, he gradually put his arm around Barry's shoulder.

"I love you, Barry." Said Forrest.

"I love you too Forrest," said Barry, "Merry Christmas."

* * *

Constantine nodded his head, "That wasn't too bad kid. You're really starting to-WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!"

The man in the other armchair paused, realizing that Constantine had caught him drinking eggnog directly from the jug.

"What?!" said the man, "You didn't want any."

"I did," said Constantine, "Just not at the moment. Now I've got to rid the jug of your filth."

"Hey, that's a little too harsh." Said the man, "Lighten up you germaphobe."

"Maybe it's the alcohol talking." Said Constantine, "But I forgive you."

"Oh, Thanks!" said the man, "That's the first nice thing you've ever said to me."

Constantine chuckled, "Bloody C*nt.", before leaning back into his armchair

"And we're back to square one." Said the man before looking into the fire.

"That's it for today folks," said the man, "What's your favorite Holliday Movie?"

Constantine chuckled again, "Die Har-"

"DON'T. SAY. IT." Said the man, "I've heard that joke more times than Genghis Kahn has had sexual intercourse."

Constantine smiled, "…..DIE HARD!"

The man looked like he had blown a fuse, "SON OF A-"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make a Flash Themed Christmas Carol. I hope you guys like it!


	36. Finals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry Allen has become obsessed as of late with the Man In Yellow he witnessed in the speed force. He also hasn't let his friend Kirishima in on his secret. Emotions clash as the finals approach.

"Barry? Barry?!"

"Bwah!"

Barry was jolted awake by Mina, who had pinched him to wake him up before class.

"Are you ok Barry?" asked Mina, "You've been falling asleep before and after class alot as of late."

"No, I'm fine." said Barry, wiping his face, "I've just been having trouble sleeping recently."

"Oh, ok!" said Mina, "Just checking!"

The two looked away, avoiding each other's gaze.

_I should tell her the truth, that I've really been losing sleep researching the man in yellow. It's just a lot to explain and it's not the right time._

Mina, however, was looking away for an entirely different reason.

_GAAAAH! Why can't I just forget about the locker room scene!_

Mina blushed, unable to erase the moment from her head.

At that moment, the door slid open, revealing Jay Garrick, "Morning class!"

"Good Morning Mr. Garrick!" said the class.

"Wow! Such manners! Aizawa must have drilled them into your skulls." said Jay, "It's not necessary with me though, say whatever you want as long as it isn't explicit. Oh, and make sure to pay attention in class, Physics might seem unimportant in terms of hero work, but some heroes, specifically those with speed based quirks, will find this information vital."

"Yes, sir!" erupted Iida in his usual tone of voice.

"Now then," said Jay, "Today we're learning about wind resistance."

* * *

"Alright!" said Jay, "That's it for today! Make sure to turn in the work by the next class!"

"Yes sir!" said the class.

The classroom door slid open, revealing Aizawa.

"Ah, and here's your homeroom teacher!" said Jay, "Well, I'll see you all soon!"

Jay zipped out of the class, just slow enough to not create a gust of wind. The action was met with a disapproving grunt from Aizawa.

"Hmm, he shouldn't use his quirk to haphazardly." said Aizawa before he took the podium, "Anyway, I have an announcement to make. There's only one week left until the final exams, make sure you're studying properly. I also want to remind you all that there will be a practical exam as well, don't forget it. That's all."

As quickly as he entered, Aizawa left the classroom. Barry pulled out his notebook, looking over his notes.

_I did pretty well on the midterms, so I'm confident the finals won't be much different._

"Hey!"

Barry turned toward the source of the voice, finding an angry Katsuki Bakugo pointing his finger at Barry, "You may have placed ahead of me in the midterms, but this time I'm gonna leave you in the dust!"

It was true, while Bakugo had placed ahead of Midoriya., he had also placed behind Barry, who managed to land 3rd place. The event infuriated Bakugo, though not as much as if Midoriya had beaten him.

"Hey, I hope you do well too!" said Barry, "Try your best! I'm sure you can do it!"

"Damn right I can!" shouted Bakugo, "And don't sound so happy about it!"

Barry chuckled, taking small admiration in Bakugo's spirit. Closing his notebook, Barry got up to leave before being stopped by Kirishima.

"Hey man!" said Kirishima, "How did you do on the midterms?"

"I placed third," said Barry, "It's a pretty good place."

"Pretty good?!" said Kirishima, "That's great Barry!"

"Ha, thanks Kirishima." said Barry, "How did you do?"

Kirishima put his hand on the back of his head, laughing nervously, "Heheheh, 15th."

"That's not a good score Kirishima!" said Barry, "Do you need help studying?"

"Oh man, I was just about to ask you that!" said Kirishima, "I just needed to work up the courage!"

"No problem man!" said Barry, "I got you!"

"No you don't!"

Bakugo enters the conversation, abruptly inserting himself.

"I bet I could teach you way better than blondie here can!" said Bakugo, "So forget it!"

"Uh..." said Barry, unsure of what to do.

_Bakugo is smart, he's at the very least just as capable of helping Kirishima as I am. And if that time is freed up, I can keep working on the man in yellow._

"Ok," said Barry, "Maybe we could-"

"I have the greatest idea man!" erupted Kirishima, "Why don't you both help me!"

"Huh?!" said both Barry and Bakugo.

"Yeah, I'm bound to do well if both of you are studying with me!" said Kirishima.

Barry thought about the idea.

_I won't be able to work on mom's case, but I could still use the extra study time. Besides, there's also the fact that I haven't told Kirishima about mom. Maybe…._

Barry nodded, "I'm up for it."

"Aw yeah man!" shouted Kirishima.

Bakugo grumbled, "I'll go to, but only to prove I'm better at this than blondie!"

"Whatever you say Bakugo!" said Kirishima, "We meet up at that diner, Jitters!"

* * *

Barry walked into the diner, welcomed by the smell of fresh coffee. It's leather seating and friendly-looking tables heightened the warm atmosphere.

_Wow._

"Barry!"

Barry looked towards a collection of tables, which housed Bakugo and Kirishima. Barry waved at them before approaching.

"Hey guys," said Barry, sitting down, "How's your day going?"

"Great!" said Kirishima.

"Bah, let's get this over with," said Bakugo.

"Alright, fine," said Barry, pulling out his notebook, "Let's get started."

"I'm not sure I get it," said Kirishima, scratching his head.

"It's simple you dumbass!" shouted Bakugo, "Just follow the equations!"

"I would suggest making a bit of a cheat sheet for equations." said Barry, "Writing them down helps you memorize them."

"I still don't really get it," said Kirishima.

"Gah, this is stupid," said Bakugo, standing up, "I'm gonna get us some more coffee."

"Ok, bring me back something strong!" said Kirishima as Bakugo walked away. Returning to his studies, he pored over the textbook while Barry observed.

_He might not be inherently talented, but Kirishima is still trying his best. He's got a lot of heart._

Barry smiled.

_I'm lucky to have him as a friend._

That's when Barry remembered that he hadn't told Kirishima. He didn't tell him about his mother.

_This place, it's warm, it's friendly, it's as good a place as any._

"Hey Kirishima?" said Barry.

"Yeah?" said Kirishima.

"I...have something to tell you," said Barry, "It's about my mom."

Kirishima continued studying absentmindedly before the words truly hit him. He looked up, a serious look on his face.

"Are you sure?" said Kirishima, worried, "You always avoided talking about her, it seemed like a touchy subject."

"It is," said Barry, "but you're my best friend, you deserve to know."

Kirishima put his pencil down, "Ok."

Barry took a deep breath, "My mom….was murdered."

Kirishima's eyes widened, "Jeez, that's just...the worst. Is that why you don't talk with your dad much? It must have hurt a lot for him."

"It did," said Barry, "but it was so much worse."

"Why?" asked Kirishima.

"Kirishima," said Barry, struggling not to show his pain through his voice, "they said my dad did it."

Kirishima gasped, "That's why your dad is in prison? Barry, that sounds….I can't even imagine."

Barry nodded, swallowing tears, "He's in prison for life and I'm the only one who thinks he didn't do it. That's why I wanted to become a CSI, I wanted to reopen my dads case and prove him innocent."

"What changed?" asked Kirishima.

"I got my powers." said Barry, looking at his hands, "It inspired me to push for something better, something I'd be happy doing. I haven't given up on my dad, but I don't think either him or my mom would be happy if I didn't follow my own dreams."

Kirishima leaned back in his seat, scratching his head, "Man, that's a lot to process. Does anyone else know?"

"Mina." said Barry, "She walked in on a conversation with my dad, it wasn't a pleasant one and I said some things I regret. I didn't realize she was there until after the call."

"Dang." said Kirishima, "Barry, I'm sorry, just so sorry."

"Kirishima," said Barry, "Thanks, you have no idea how good it feels to get this off my chest. I just hope you feel just as good when you do the finals."

Kirishima was taken aback by Barry pivoting back to the finals, but smirked, "Yeah, I hope so too, and I hope you catch the guy who really killed your mom."

"Me too," said Barry, determination in his voice.

"Hey!" said Kirishima, having written out the equations he was studying, "I think I figured it out!"

"Coffee's up extra's!" piped Bakugo, sitting back down.

"Alright!" said Barry, "Let's move on to English, this I'm confident I'll be better at than Bakugo."

"Over my dead body blondie!" shouted Bakugo.

* * *

"What the hell?!" shouted Bakugo, "Why is his pronunciation so perfect?!"

"I mean, he is the native English speaker," said Kirishima.

"GAAAAAH" shouted Bakugo.

* * *

"Pencil's down everyone!"

Aizawa tapped the podium, signaling the end of the written exam. Barry placed his pencil down, confident.

_That wasn't too bad, I hope Kirishima did better than he did before._

"I'll collect your papers," said Aizawa, "Meanwhile, you'll be getting into your hero outfits and boarding busses to your practical exam."

The class got up, going to their cases to don their outfits. Barry slipped on his boots, tightened his knee and elbow guards before placing his visor on his face. Looking towards Mina, he watched as she donned her gloves and placed her mask on her face.

_Huh, never noticed how…. Colorful her costume is._

"Uh, Barry," said Mina.

"Hmm?" said Barry.

"You're staring," said Mina.

Barry blushed, averting his gaze, "Sorry, your costume is just really colorful."

Mina blushed as well, looking away from Barry, "T-Thank you."

"Oh get a room you two!" said Mineta, prompting Barry to grab him and dump him headfirst into a nearby trash can.

"AAH!" shouted Mineta, falling out to reveal a variety of used paper sheets in his hair, "That was undeserved!"

* * *

As the class walked outside and stepped onto the bus, a familiar face not of class 1-A boarded as well.

"Derek?!" said Barry, standing up out of his seat, "I thought you would be tested with Class 1-B?"

"So did I!" said Derek, clad in his spandex outfit, "But they told me I would be testing with you guys. I'm not sure why since I heard we would be fighting robots like the entrance exam for the final."

"Whatever the reason, it's good to have you here!" said Barry, moving over to allow Derek to take a seat.

"So," said Derek, "Did you meet the new physics teacher?"

"You mean Jay?" said Barry, "Yeah, he teaches us physics too!"

"He's pretty fun!" said Derek, "Though I don't think I've ever seen a guy move as fast as him, except maybe you. Monoma dropped his pencil and literally a second later it was back on his desk."

"Hah, that's him!" said Barry.

* * *

The class stood in front of the practical exam area, met by not just Aizawa but an entire collection of teachers, 10 to be exact and with the absence of Jay. The ensemble of teachers confused Barry, if they were here to fight robots, why would there be so many observing parties?

"Now, we will begin the practical exam." said Aizawa, "As you all know, it is possible to fail this exam. This summer's training camp is an excellent opportunity, but if you fail you won't be going, so don't make any stupid mistakes."

"It's hard to make mistakes if we're fighting mindless robots," said Derek, "and if I'm not overstepping, can I ask why I'm here?"

"You're here because we needed pairs of students!" said a voice inside Aizawa's scarf, "And you were the perfect candidate!"

Nezu, the small dog-like principal, popped out of Aizawa's scarf to the surprise of the class.

"You won't be fighting robots for various reasons!" he announced, crawling down Aizawa's arm to the ground, " Instead, we want you to focus on person to person combat as well as hero abilities. We want to give you experience closer to the real thing! So, you'll have to fight teachers as pairs of two!"

Barry put his hand to his chin.

_This is definitely harder than robots, I wonder why they're upping the difficulty of the courses? The recent attack by the league of villains perhaps?_

"That explains why Derek is here." said Barry, "But there are only 10 of you, and 11 pairs of us."

"Not anymore!"

A gust of wind kicked up dust as Jay Garrick arrived on the scene, clad in his hero costume.

"Sorry I'm late!" said Jay, "Despite my speed, It still took a while to iron the costume!"

"Wow!" piped Uraraka, seeing Jay's costume for the first time, "This is your hero costume!"

Jay nodded, "It is indeed! I had to put it in the wash, it had a lot of dirt on it. But now it's back to its original Glory!"

"Mhm!"

Aizawa loudly cleared his throat, signaling Jay.

"Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself!" said Jay, "Your pairs have already been decided, Barry and Derek are with me!"

Barry's eyes widened, "I have to fight….YOU!"

"Yes Barry," said Jay, "And you too Derek. I'll explain more on the way there."

"The time limit for the exam will be thirty minutes!" explained Nezu, pulling out a pair of yellow handcuffs, "Your goal will be to put these handcuffs on the teacher or have at least one of you flee the area!"

"Wait," said Barry, "How is that fair? Derek can practically teleport to the exit, we can pass the test with no effort!"

"Yours is a special case Mr. Allen!" said Nezu, "It will be explained to you soon, as you are the first to go!"

"First to go?!" said Derek, swallowing, "I'm a little nervous!"

"Well," said Nezu, "Off you go! If you want to watch, the monitoring rooms are open!"

* * *

Deku entered the monitoring room, being met by the elderly school nurse, recovery girl.

"Today's going to be another long day." sighed recovery girl.

The monitoring room door opened again, this time Uraraka, Kirishima, and Mina entering.

"Oh, you guys are here to watch too!" said Midoriya, "I'm just here to study the different quirks at play, especially our new physics teachers!"

"It's strange, his quirk is almost identical to Barry's!" said Uraraka, "Wait, do you think Mr. Garrick is secretly Barry's dad?"

"No way!" said Kirishima, "I know for a fact Mr. Garrick isn't Barry's dad."

"Same!" said Mina.

"It's just odd they have the same quirk!" said Uraraka.

"Honestly, the similarity is striking!" said Midoriya, "I wonder how the two quirks will interact, especially with James rifts!"

Mina stepped forward, "I'm sure Barry will win! He's always found a way out of the problems he's faced."

* * *

"We're taking the bus?"

"Yup!"

Barry and Derek sat in a mostly empty bus, watching as Jay drove them to their destination. Derek had, strangely enough, used his rift to pull out a pair of headphones and an iPod from an unknown location and was currently listening to music on the ride. Barry meanwhile, conversed with Jay.

"But couldn't you just take us using your speed?" asked Barry.

"Some people get sick to the stomach when I do that." said Jay, "Besides, I've got to tell you people about the difference in rules."

Jay noticed Derek with his headphones, using his speed to quickly grab them and the iPod and speeding back to the driver seat.

"Wha-" said Derek.

"You can have these back when I'm done explaining the rules." said Jay, "You guys aren't allowed to escape."

Derek and Barry did a double-take, "WHAT?!" they both said.

"Don't worry, I'm not finished!" said Jay, "Because of your specific mobility based quirks, it was clear that as fast as I am, I can't catch you if you just teleport to the exit. That's why the exit will be sealed off for the first half of the exam, 15 minutes. Beat me or survive until then to escape."

"Ulp." gulped Derek, "We have to avoid a man faster than the speed of sound for 15 minutes. The odds are stacked!"

"Indeed they are, that's the point." said Jay, "You can take back your stuff now."

Derek nervously rifted the iPod and headphones back to his person before putting them on again.

"Barry," said Jay, "There's more, but only for you to hear."

Barry, confused, moved a few seats closer to Jay, "What do you mean?"

"Barry, I said I would help teach you about the speed force." said Jay, "This is the start."

"The start?" said Barry, "What about all those physics lessons, don't they help?"

"They do, but the speed force doesn't exactly do physics." said Jay, "In fact, they're an affront to those laws. I saw a glimpse of your speed, your potential when we escaped the speed force. But now, I need to see for myself what you're truly capable of. This exam isn't just a test, it's a way for me to gauge your progress already."

Jay stopped, arriving at their destination, a walled-off area, "Do your best, so I know what you're able to do."

Barry nodded as Jay put the bus in park, leading Derek and Barry to the large front gates.

"What do you think the battleground will be?" asked Derek, "Cityscape? Industrial Area? Forest?"

"Heh," chuckled Jay, "None of the above."

The gates slid open, revealing a battleground that neither Barry nor Derek expected.

A wide-open flat field of grass.

"What. The. Hell." said Derek, walking inside with Barry and Jay, "There's no cover, no way to hide!"

"That's the point." said Jay, turning around as the gates slammed shut behind Barry and Derek, "You guys have been tested in urban and natural mazes before. But now, you're up against a completely even playing field. No surprises here, just me, you, and the soil beneath our feet."

Jay smirked, "Best of luck!"

Jay sped across the field, stopping in front of the exit, only a speck in the distance to Derek and Barry. As an air horn sounds, signaling the start of the round, the speck starts to come back, rapidly approaching Barry and Derek.

Barry gulped, "Uh Oh."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done porting chapters!


	37. Fight Or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay Garrick has chosen to use the finals to test Barry on his powers, the question is can Barry live up to Jay's reputation and expectations?

"Wait, Why doesn't James just rift them both to the exit?" asked Mina, "That would be an instant pass wouldn't it?"

Mina, Kirishima, Uraraka, and Midoriya sat in the monitor room with Recovery girl, watching as Barry and Derek prepared for battle against Jay.

"Mr. Garrick had some different rules in place," said Recovery Girl, "The exits are closed for the first 15 minutes of the exam."

"So they can't just cheese the exam." said Kirishima, "Makes sense."

"This will force them to use their mobility quirks to their fullest if they wish to pass!" said Midoriya, "Mr. Garrick has a speed quirk like Barry, but he has more experience! This is balanced out by James and his portals, which should even the odds-"

"Uh, Deku?" said Uraraka, "You're mumbling again."

"Oh!" said Midoriya, his face red, "Sorry!"

* * *

The red speck, Jay, was getting closer and closer. Incidentally, Derek and Barry's stress levels were also getting higher and higher.

"DUDE, WHAT DO WE DO!" shouted Derek, "HE DIDN'T EVEN GIVE US THE HANDCUFFS!"

"I don't know man, but be ready to move fast!" said Barry.

As Jay's figure began to take form, an idea popped into Derek's head.

"Get behind me!" said Derek.

"Why? You got a plan?" asked Barry.

"Yes, trust me on this!" said Derek.

Barry obliged, zipping behind Derek. Within seconds, Jay was clearly in view, only 100 meters away.

"C'mon, just a little closer!" said Derek, raising his hand.

Jay closed the distance, entering spitting distance.

"NOW!" shouted Derek.

Derek created a rift in front of him with his hands large enough to fit a person. Jay, unable to stop himself at that speed, flew right into the rift. As soon as Jay entered the rift, Derek closed it to the shock of Barry.

* * *

The monitor room was silent, the entirety of its participants slack-jawed.

"Did...did he just rift the teacher OUT of the testing area?!" asked Midoriya aloud.

"I...think he did!" said Mina.

"That's smart as hell!" said Kirishima.

* * *

Barry's face wore an expression of shock, his eyes wide with amazement.

"Derek," said Barry, "Did you really just do that?"

"I honestly didn't expect it to work," said Derek, "does this mean we win?"

"I don't know?!" said Barry, "Was that even allowed?!"

"Oh shit!" said Derek, "Are we gonna get insta failed?!"

"Don't worry boys, you won't get failed."

Derek and Barry looked behind them, finding Jay standing behind their backs, soaked in water with the distinct smell of salt attached.

"AAAAAAGH!" screamed the boys.

"Nice trick, it won't happen again." said Jay, "And Derek, only drop villains in the ocean, not your teacher."

"Ulp." gulped Derek.

Barry, realizing they were about to fight, took a quick breath.

_He wants me to show him what I can do, let's start with running!_

Barry zips over, grabbing Derek and running like hell, Jay following in hot pursuit.

"Holy crap!" shouted Derek, "What's the plan?"

"Umm, I don't have one right now!" said Barry, "But I'm thinking about it."

"Can you keep this up for the next 12 or so minutes?" said Derek, "He's not really gaining on us."

Barry looked back, realizing that Derek was right, Jay wasn't getting closer.

"It looks like you guys are about equal in speed," said Derek.

"I think I've faster, considering I'm carrying you." said Barry.

"Are your quirks similar? What do you know about this guy?" asked Derek, "We are supposed to fight him."

"As far as I can tell, he's got the same power set as me." said Barry, "Like I said before, I think I'm faster, but he's been at this way longer than I have, so he probably knows some tricks that I don't."

Derek nodded, "Then maybe we should split up?"

"Why?" asked Barry.

"It takes him about 30 seconds to cross the field," said Derek, "I can cross instantly. If we split up, he'll have to focus on one of us. Besides, you said you were faster than him."

"That's a great idea," said Barry, "But what about cuffing him?"

"Again, he didn't give me anything!" said Derek.

"Check your pockets." said Barry, "He might have slipped them in while you weren't looking."

"How would he do that?" asked Derek.

"Just check!" said Barry, taking a left turn to avoid slamming into the wall.

Derek stuck his hands in his pockets, his eyes widening when he finds an object in his right pocket. Pulling it out, Derek produced a pair of yellow handcuffs.

"Son of a bitch." said Derek.

"Told you!" said Barry.

"You boys talking about me?" asked Jay, who had intercepted them by running straight across the field after they made the turn.

"AAAGH!" shouted Barry and Derek as Jay tripped Barry, sending them both tumbling in the grass. The boys scrambled to their feet, watching as Jay started to loop around for another strike.

"Derek!" shouted Barry, a plan in mind now, "Rift to the farthest corner of the field, try to get the handcuffs on him while I distract him!"

Derek nodded, rifting out quickly as Jay began to charge Barry. Barry smirked before beginning his own charge.

* * *

The Monitor room watched as both speedsters began to fly towards each other at top speed.

"They're so fast!" wondered Uraraka aloud.

"I knew Barry was fast, but this Garrick guy is no slouch either!" said Kirishima.

"Who do you think is faster Mina?" asked Midoriya.

"I would say Barry, though I can't be sure since I'm mostly going off age," said Mina.

* * *

Barry sprinted at Jay, his feet hitting the ground with high impact.

_You wanted to see what I can do Jay? Well, now you get it!_

Barry raised a fist as the two met, throwing a punch straight at Jay's face. Instead of hitting Jay, his fist goes right through. In fact, Jay went through Barry completely.

_Shit, he can vibrate molecules too._

Expecting a counterattack, Barry vibrates his molecules to avoid a strike. However, Jay throws a punch to the back of Barry's head, knocking if forward.

"Ow!" said Barry, holding the back of his head, "How the hell-"

"Molecule vibration is one of the first things a speedster learns Barry." said Jay, "It's useful against most people, but to an experienced speedster, it's baby stuff."

Barry's eyes widen.

_He vibrates his fist to my frequency in order to hit me!_

Barry's eyes darted to a corner of the field, noticing Derek preparing to open a rift.

Barry smirked as a small rift forms behind Jay, "Here's something else I can do!"

Barry spun in circles, allowing the speed force to flow through him. Lightning begins to spark at his fingertips as he throws a lightning bolt at Jay. Jay smirks, spinning himself and catching the lightning effortlessly and directing it through the rift, shocking Derek with a loud *ZAP*.

"Derek!" shouted Barry.

"Sorry Mr. James," said Jay, "but I'm still working with Mr. Allen!"

"We can redirect lightning?!" said Barry.

"Yes, and I must say I'm impressed." said Jay, "Throwing lightning is a more advanced speedster technique."

Barry smiled, "Really?!"

"Yep, now I'll show you one." said Jay.

Jay vibrated his molecules, and to Barry's surprise, he duplicated himself. Barry watched as hundreds of Jays appeared, spreading across the field.

* * *

"WHAAAA!" said Midoriya, "What is this?!"

"Did he freaking clone himself?!" shouted Mina, "What can't this guy do?!"

* * *

Barry's head darted around, looking at all the Jays. Speeding up to one, Barry threw a punch at one, watching as it passed through.

"Speed mirages." said Jay, his location unknown but his voice audible.

Barry darted around, trying to find the real Jay, "I can't even begin to think stuff like this up!"

"Don't worry, I'll teach you." said Jay, "But you have to prove you're worthy to get it!"

Barry lurches over as a fist strikes his stomach, then his back, then his chin, sending him flying.

"C'mon Barry, at least get a hit off!" said Jay.

Barry's eyes flickered with lightning as he tightened his fists in determinations.

"You're gonna get more than a hit!" shouted Barry.

As Barry landed, he vibrates his fist, feeling the lightning. Jay charges Barry, ready to strike again. Just as he reaches Barry, Barry strikes the ground, creating a shockwave that puts Jay off balance. Barry smirks before charging Jay.

_He knows more about the speed force than me, but if there's one thing I know, I'm faster!_

Before Jay can regain balance, Barry delivers five punches across Jay's body before he can even react. Jay falls to the ground, his hat falling from his head. Barry stands over Jay as he rubbed his chin.

"That was a good one." said Jay, "But you still have a lot to learn."

"What makes you say that?" asked Barry.

Jay smirked, grabbing his helmet and putting his hand inside. Making a fist and vibrating it, Jay makes a sonic shockwave that sends Barry flying. Barry hits the ground hard, getting the wind knocked out of him as he clutched his ears in pain, unable to hear. Jay runs over, putting his hand on Barry's chest.

"Sorry kid," said Jay, "Looks like you failed."

Barry looked down at Jay's ankle, a smile forming on his face, "You're right, you lost!"

"Barry, I don't think you heard me right," said Jay, "I said-"

"WE WIN!"

Jay whirled around to find Derek had rifted behind him, doing a strange little dance with his feet.

"I'm sorry son, you'll have to explain how you won." said Jay, "There's still a minute left before the exit opens."

"Check your ankle dude!" said Derek, continuing his dance.

Jay looked down, finding a pair of yellow handcuffs attached to his left ankle.

"Well I'll be damned." said Jay.

* * *

Barry and Derek sat in the nurse's office as Recovery Girl checked them for wounds.

"For a man as fast as Mr. Garrick, he definitely went easy on you." said Recovery Girl, "He could have been much harsher, but he left nothing but a few bruises on you."

"Huh?" said Barry.

"Oh, right, and you won't be able to use your ears for a few hours," said Recovery Girl.

"Excuse me, Mr. Recovery girl." said Derek, his hands shaking, "I can't stop shaking."

"Ah, that would be the electricity that coursed through your body," said Recovery Girl, "The nerves will need a few hours to heal."

"Uh-huh," said Derek nervously.

At that moment, a dejected Kaminari and Mina shuffled into the infirmary, defeat written all over their faces.

"Why the long faces guys?" asked Derek, still staring at his shaking hands.

"We failed the exam," said Mina, "against the principal no less!"

"That guy?" said Derek, "Isn't he like the size of a toddler?"

"He was in a crane the whole time!" said Kaminari, "We couldn't reach him at all, and he blocked off all the escape routes!"

"Oh yeah, he's supposed to be super smart." said Derek.

Kaminari stared at Derek's hands, "Why are you shaking your hands like that?"

"I got electrocuted," said Derek, "but it's fine because we won!"

"Really?!" said Mina, "That's good to hear, though I didn't doubt Barry and you could do it!"

Kaminari put his hand to his chin, "Hmm, can I ask you something, Mina?"

"Sure!" said Mina, "What is it?"

"Do you...like someone?" asked Kaminari.

Mina gave Kaminari an odd look, "Huh, what makes you think that?"

"Well," said Kaminari, "there's someone in this room you've been harping on about over and over since the internships."

Mina turned away, hiding her face as she began to blush, "N-No way, you've got it all wrong."

Kaminari turned to Barry, "Hey Barry, would you go on a date with Mina?"

"Yeah?" said Barry, noticing Kaminari was speaking and unaware that he had accidentally answered the question.

"BWAAH!" yelped Mina, her face a dark shade of red.

_Did he say he would go on a date with me?! Wait, why did he say it like a question, is he not sure?!_

Derek waved his hands more aggressively, "Mina chill! Barry is freaking deaf, he didn't even hear the question!"

Mina took a deep breath, her face returning to its normal pink color, "Whew, I thought he answered seriously for a second."

Kaminari chuckled, "Heh, I wonder why you obsessed so much over it though?"

Mina froze, realizing that the cat was out of the bag, "NOOOOOOO!"

"KEEP IT DOWN, KIDS! THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE OF YOU IN HERE BEFORE THE DAY IS DONE!" shouted Recovery Girl as Barry looked at the increasingly bizarre scene in confusion, unable to hear a thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO! All 37 chapters ported! I'll have a new chapter up soon.


	38. Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finals are over! As Barry prepares for a new the training camp, an eternal enemy chooses to make his appearance.

Footsteps filled the halls as a man in a suit led 3 strangers down an underground hallway. The 3 strangers looked very different, consisting of a schoolgirl with blonde hair, a heavily scarred man with stitches, and a man in a wool jacket with boomerangs attached to the front. The man smoked a cigarette, puffing the smoke out in rings.

"Can you stop that Giran." said the stranger with the boomerangs, "I'd rather not get cancer from secondhand smoke."

"Patience Mercer," said Giran, "We're almost there."

Giran opened the door at the end of the hall, entering a bar full of villains. The Rogues gathered around a table while Shigaraki and Kurogiri sat at the bar.

"Oi Shigaraki!" said Giran, "new recruits!"

Shigaraki shifted in his seat, staring down the new recruits, "Well, introduce yourselves."

The scarred man stared Shigaraki down, "You're super gross in person you know. I'm Dabi."

"You guys are friends with Stainy right?" said the girl, "Cause if so, I wanna join the League of Villains. I'm Himiko Toga!"

Mercer stepped forward, "I'm Owen Mercer, the son of Digger Harkness, Captain Boomerang. I'm here to continue where my father left off."

Mercer walked to Shigaraki, extending his hand, "I've also gotta thank One For All for curing my cancer, I owe it to him."

Shigaraki eyed the 3 strangers, "Boomerang is a surefire entry, but the others are no-gos."

"Come now Shigaraki," said Kurogiri, "You don't even know their abilities."

"Fine, what can you do scarface." said Shigaraki.

"I have fire," said Dabi.

"So do I."

Flames licked Heatwave's arms as he stepped away from the table, walking toward Dabi until he was face to face with him.

"Mick," said Snart, "Don't start anything."

"I'm not," said Heatwave, "Just checking out the new blood."

Heatwave walked back to the table, allowing Dabi to continue, "I'm going to make Stains dream a reality."

"Stain Stain Stain," said Shigaraki, "That name puts in a bad mood."

Kurogiri looks at Shigaraki, "Don't do it."

Shigaraki spread his hands out, "A really bad mood."

Shigaraki lunges for Dabi and Toga, but a figure suddenly appears behind Shigaraki, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him back.

"You don't wanna do that." said the hooded man, "You'll need these people for what you're doing."

"Shut up!" shouted Shigaraki, swiping at the man, but he seemed to be transparent, appearing to Shigaraki's left.

"I get it, they're not what you want, but they're what you get." said the man.

"SHUT UP!" shouted Shigaraki, storming out of the bar and leaving the room in silence.

"Where's he going?" asked Dabi.

"A place of self-reflection, and oddly enough, a place where he'll have a fateful encounter." said the man before he checked his watch, "Oh, looks like I have my own Fateful encounter coming up, I'll see you fellow villains later!"

The hooded man speeds out of the bar, leaving the villains in awe.

"Strange one." said Snart, "You gotta wonder why he does this."

* * *

The students who failed the exam sat with their heads hanging low, setting a fairly depressing mood for the classroom. Kirishima, Sato, Mina, Kaminari, and Sero had all failed the exam, their status written on their faces.

"Jeez, It must have been awful being put up against the principal." said Barry, "He must have planned your loss out before you guys even began."

"You don't have to rub it in Barry." said Mina, "We know we failed."

Kirishima, teary-eyed, walked up to Barry, "Hey man, have fun at training camp!"

"It might not be that bad Kirishima," said Barry, "Maybe it'll be like the trials?"

*RING*

The door slid open, revealing Aizawa, "That was the bell, class is in session."

The rest of the class sits down as Aizawa takes the podium, "As you know, we have some failures in this class. As such, you're all going to training camp."

Barry observes as each of the students who failed does a small victory dance on the inside.

"However, failure is failure, you five will receive supplementary lessons that'll be worse than summer school," said Aizawa.

And just like that, those victory dances turned into dances of defeat and depression.

"Anyway, I'll be handing out camp manuals." said Aizawa, "Take One and Pass it over."

* * *

As the Class left the building, Barry looked over the manual. It described a large variety of activities such as swimming, trailblazing, and hiking. It also listed a large variety of items to pack.

_Damn, I might need some Topricin._

"Hey Barry!"

Barry put the manual down to find Mina standing in front of him, "Tooru suggested that the class go to the mall together tomorrow, Are you going to come?"

"Hmm," said Barry, "I don't know, as big as this list is, I already have most of what I need."

"But there's also the stuff you don't have," said Mina, "plus, it'll be fun!"

Barry sighed, "I guess so. Sure, I'll go."

"Nice!" exclaimed Mina, "See you there!"

Mina skipped away, leaving Barry to look at the Manual more. As she reached her locker, a figure emerged from the side.

"Mina!" said Kaminari, "How're things?"

"Pretty good, considering how badly we failed!" said Mina.

"You don't have to remind me." said Kaminari, "Any particular reason?"

Mina looked at Kaminari, "What are you getting at?"

"Please, I know how you feel about Barry," said Kaminari.

Mina looked away, "Me, like Barry? Nooooo."

"Don't try to hide it, you defend him every time his name comes up." said Kaminari, "You seemed pretty happy he's going to the mall tomorrow, but are you gonna have the guts to ask him out?"

Mina continued to hide her face, "Ummmm, maybe?"

"That's not an answer Mina." said Kaminari, "You know it."

"Ok fine, no!" said Mina, "I can't say I have the guts. Things are better the way they are now."

"That's what literally everyone says in relation to their crush," said Kaminari.

"Really? Do you feel that way about your crush?" asked Mina.

"I don't have a crush," said Kaminari.

"Really?" asked Mina, "What about Jirou."

"What? No way!" said Kaminari, "Don't change the subject! You're gonna ask him out to coffee tomorrow!"

"N-No way!" said Mina.

"Yes you are!" said Kaminari, "You can do it!"

"Mmmph!" pouted Mina, "Fine!"

"That's the ticket!" said Kaminari, "See you tomorrow Mina!"

Kaminari left, letting Mina put her horns in her hands.

_What am I gonna do?!_

* * *

The mall was bustling with vendors and shoppers as Class 1-A met in the main plaza. The noise was almost invasive, with shopkeepers calling to shoppers to enter their stores and buy their wares.

"Wow, this place is packed!" said Barry, wearing a hoodie and jeans.

"Yeah, it sure is!" said Mina.

Mina spotted Kaminari out the corner of her eye, gesturing for her to go on. The members of the Class had already begun to split off.

"Hey Barry?" said Mina, "Wanna go shopping together?"

"Ummm," said Barry, "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"What why?!" exclaimed Mina, "Is there something wrong with two completely platonic friends shopping for stuff together."

"No, not at all!" said Barry, "It's just that-"

"C'mon Barry, the others are splitting off don't leave me hanging!" said Mina.

Barry sighed, "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

As Barry left, Mina looked back at Kaminari, who winked at her. Mina returned the wink before following Barry.

_Thanks for the push Kaminari._

* * *

"Here we are, the only place I need to visit," said Barry.

Mina stared up at the sign in horror.

_If there is a god, he has surely forsaken me._

"C'mon Mina!" said Barry before entering the store.

Mina sighed before following Barry into the swimsuit store.

Barry picked up a pair of beige Swimming Shorts, "These are probably fine."

Mina looked at the shorts, "Hmm, Don't know if they'd look good on you."

"Do they have to look good on me? They're swim shorts," said Barry.

"Hey, you can go with functional and stylish," said Mina, looking around before grabbing a pair of swim shorts, "Like these!"

Barry looked at the shorts, which were red with lightning bolts dotted across, "Wow, these look great! Thanks Mina!"

"No problem!" said Mina, smiling with her eyes closed.

"I'm gonna try em on," said Barry, walking away.

"You do that!" said Mina before her eyes shot open.

_Wait, he's gonna try em on now?! I mean, I guess it makes sense since you want to buy something that fits you, but is he gonna go shirtless or something?!_

"Hey Mina?" said Barry.

Mina jumped at Barry's voice, "Y-Yeah?"

"How does it look?" asked Barry.

Mina turned around to find Barry standing with his shirt on and the shorts fitting fairly well.

"Hmm, they look great!" said Mina, "Man, I should get some new swim clothes."

Mina froze, processing what she just said.

_AAAAAAAAAAAH, WHY DID I SAY THAT!_

"Ummmmmmm," said Barry, "Do you want me to go while you do that?"

"N-No." said Mina, randomly reaching for a swimsuit, "It's fine, I'll just try these on."

Barry blushed, "O-Ok."

Mina speed-walked to the dressing room, leaving Barry outside to pay for his shorts. Stepping inside, Mina breathed a sigh of relief before looking at the swimsuit she picked out.

It was an incredibly revealing bikini.

_FFFFFUUUUUU-_

Barry tapped his foot, waiting for Mina to finish changing.

_Oh man, this is so uncomfortable. Why did Mina pick the really skimpy bikini, was she trying to say something?_

Barry put his finger to his chin.

_No, don't overthink it. It's probably that she just likes the swimsuit._

"I-I'm done," said Mina.

"Cool!" said Barry, turning around, "Does it fit?

Barry's mind stopped working as soon as he saw Mina. She had dressed in an all-black bikini, the connectors, while not stretching, were definitely tight.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-"

"B-Barry?" said Mina, "S-Say something."

"uuuuuuuuuuuuuu Looks great." said Barry, "Do you need anything else?"

Mina stared at Barry, dumbfounded, "I-Is that it."

"Yep!" said Barry, tapping his foot nervously, "That's it."

"O-Ok." said Mina, walking back to the dressing room to change back into her normal clothes. Barry rubbed his nose a little before noticing some blood on his hand.

_Wha-THAT'S A REAL THING?!_

*Snigger*

Barry turned to find a group of girls quietly laughing at the back of the store.

"Did you see the bikini she was wearing, what a slut." said the first girl.

"I know right, I wonder what else she wears?" said the second girl.

Barry frowned, "Hey, that's really mean."

The girls froze, looking for the voice that just addressed them. Spotting Barry, the two drew mischievous smiles before approaching him.

"Ooh, bit of a hunk over here." said the first girl.

"I don't need compliments." said Barry, "Apologize about my friend."

Why?" Said the second girl, "Is she your girlfriend?"

"No." said Barry.

"Then I don't see what the problem is." said the first girl.

"Maybe you could score a girlfriend with one of us?" said the second girl.

Barry crossed his arms, "Naw, I prefer my girlfriends without the dead rat for a heart."

The girls stopped dead in their tracks, shocked looks on their faces.

"Let's get out of here." said the first girl.

As the two girls left, Barry sighed, leaning next to the dressing rooms.

"B-Barry?"

"Huh?" said Barry.

"I-I heard everything."

Barry sighed, "Sorry, they were just jerks."

"No, it's ok." said Mina, "That kind of stuff has never happened to me before, that's all."

"Well, I'm glad to be of some help," said Barry.

"Thanks Barry," said Mina, "I-WOOOAAAAH!"

"Mina!" said Barry.

Time slowed down as Barry raced inside the dressing room.

_She must have slipped!_

Racing inside, he found her slipping on a bra someone left behind, grabbing her, he placed her on her feet before racing out of the dressing rooms.

"Wha-" said Mina, "Barry, what happened?"

"You were about to slip." said Barry, outside, "I caught you and put you on you're feet."

"U-UH!" said Mina, "D-Did you see anything?"

"What do you mean?" said Barry.

"I-I didn't have my bra on," said Mina.

Barry stopped existing for a moment, taking a few seconds to process what was just said.

_The bra, it was hers._

Barry tried to stop his mind from being flooded with the wrong images, but it was too late. He silently threw his hands at his eyeballs and tried to rub them out.

_FORGET IT, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, DON'T EVEN!_

"H-Hey Barry," said Mina.

"Yeah?" said Barry.

"I think I'll stick around here for a while, you can go." said Mina.

"Uh, ok." said Barry, silently walking out of the store.

Barry took a few steps before facepalming.

_God I'm such an idiot! Why didn't I think about this stuff before I burst in like a massive perv! I'm not Mineta!_

Barry is so deep in his own head that he runs into somebody.

"OOF!"

The man, wearing a hoodie, falls on his butt, dazed.

"Oh shoot!" said Barry, extending his hand, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah man," said the man, taking Barry's hand, "I'm good, people make mistakes."

Barry pulled the man up to his feet.

"Hey," said the man, "You're that Flash guy."

"Huh?" said Barry, "I mean, my hero name is the Flash, but I didn't expect anyone to recognize me."

"Dude, you saved a friend of mine back in Fukuoka!" said the man, taking off his hoodie to reveal a dirty blonde man with blue eyes, "Let me buy you a coffee!"

"Oh I don't know." said Barry, "That seems a little much. I don't want to take advantage of you."

"C'mon, it's just one coffee!" said the man.

Barry sighed.

_I mean, I don't have anything else to do._

"Alright," said Barry, "I'll take you up on that coffee."

"Great!" said the man.

"My name's Barry Allen!" said Barry, "What's yours?"

"Thawne," said the man, "Eobard Thawne."

* * *

"And then Edison straight up stole from Tesla!"

"I know right!"

Thawne and Barry chuckled at the cafe table while sipping their coffee. The cafe was a little to the side in the mall, with fewer shoppers. It was quieter, and frankly, Barry liked it that way.

"But hey," said Thawne, "If you want a tale of true scientific theft, just look at the splitting of the atom."

"It was Einstein, right?" said Barry.

"That's what people think," said Thawne, "But it was really Oppenheimer."

"Einstein came up with the theory," said Barry.

"But Oppenheimer led the team," said Thawne, "He was the director of the manhattan project, he was the one who actually made the atom bomb."

"Heh, I guess you're right." said Barry, "Though a lot of the footage after it was made showed that he seemed to regret it."

Thawne nodded his head, "People use the phrase, I am become death, destroyer of worlds, like it's a victory cry or an ego tickler. He's really saying he's become a monster for what he created."

Barry nodded as the cafe seemed to grow quieter.

"You can see it on his face in those interviews, the look of a man whose soul has burned out and died," said Thawne, "I'm sure you've had that look when you think about your mother."

Barry took a sip of his coffee, "Yeah, I agre-"

Barry's eyes widened, "How do you know about my mother, I never told you anything."

"Oh Barry," said Thawne, "I'm was your biggest fan, I know everything about you."

It was then that Barry realized that it was getting quiet, too quiet. The hustle and bustle of the shoppers weren't just getting quieter, it was becoming silent. Looking around, Barry realized that everyone was frozen in place as if the world had stopped rotating.

As if time itself had frozen.

"Oh don't panic Barry," said Thawne, getting up from his chair, "It's just my power."

"Who are you?." said Barry.

"As I said, I was your biggest fan." said Thawne, "I know you love pizza, I know you love comic books, and I know your favorite animal is the turtle, and the irony is not lost on me for that last one."

Barry looked at Thawne, "The line about the friend I rescued, was that a lie?"

"No, that's true." said Thawne, "You saved my father, Malcolm."

Barry looked confused.

_Malcolm? Wasn't he only a boy._

"Oh don't look so surprised Barry," said Thawne, "You visited your own pocket dimension, time travel shouldn't be too hard to wrap your head around."

Barry looked at Thawne in awe, "You said you were my biggest fan, what happened?"

"Well, that's a long story." said Thawne, "It began after you saved my father from the fire. He became borderline obsessed, He went to every convention you were at, was in every live audience for every interview you gave, bought every bit of merch there was."

_Sounds kinda like Midoriya._

"Then I was born," said Thawne, "He got me hooked too, I loved you Barry, what you did was incredible. I even got to meet you."

Barry stared Thawne down, "What changed?"

A dark look descended on Thawne's face, "I learned about the real you. The liar."

Barry frowned, "I'm no liar Thawne."

"Ha! I know you better than you know yourself!" said Thawne, "I know who you are, who your friends are, like tough Kirishima and adorable Mina."

Barry clenched his fists, standing up, "If you even think of hurting them I'll-"

Before Barry could finish, Thawne disappeared and reappeared in front of Barry, grabbing him by the throat with one hand and slamming him onto the cafe table.

"YOU ACTUALLY THINK YOU CAN DO ANYTHING?!" shouted Thawne, "I CAN KILL YOU HERE AND NOW!"

Barry struggled against Thawne's immense strength as he was slowly strangled.

*Gurgle*

"It would be so easy," said Thawne, "to just choke the life out of you and end this right now."

Barry began to turn blue. *EEEECH AAAAACCHHH!*

*Sigh*

Thawne let go of Barry, allowing him to gasp for air.

"I'm going to make you suffer Barry." said Thawne, "But you won't be the only one who gets hurt. See you around."

In an instant, Thawne was gone and time started again as the shoppers began walking again. Barry's head darted around, looking for any sign of Thawne, but he couldn't find anything.

_Did...Did that really happen?_

Barry felt his throat, which still ached from the chokehold he was in earlier.

_It definitely happened._

Getting to his feet, Barry was about to walk off when he noticed a few police officers rushing across the mall.

_He said I wouldn't be the only one hurt. Wait, NO!_

Barry rushed across the mall, following the officers.

_Please don't be hurt!_

Barry skidded to a stop as he found the officers consoling-

"Midoriya?!" Exclaimed Barry, "and Uraraka!"

"Barry?!" said Midoriya, who was sitting on a bench, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know?!" said Barry, "Why are the police here?"

"Midoriya talked to Shigaraki!" said Uraraka, "It was really scary!"

Barry trembled, shaking in fear.

"Barry?"

Barry turned to find Kirishima and Mina looking at him.

"You ok man?" asked Kirishima, "You look rattled."

"Barry," said Mina, "Is something wrong?"

Barry looked Mina in the eyes, "N-No, nothing's wrong."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 2 is done! can't wait to provide season 3!


	39. A Day In The Life Of Jay Garrick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer begins! Jay Garrick has been settling into his role as teacher, but Aizawa has grown suspicious as to how a hero he's never heard of managed to get a position at UA. Tensions rise when Aizawa chooses to interrogate him on patrol, but when an unexpected event forces them to work together, an odd friendship will form between the two.

*RING* *RING* *RING*

Jay Garrick's eyes slowly opened as his alarm clock made a racket, yawning as he placed his hand on the clock. Getting out of bed, Jay stretched his arms as the light shined through his window before moving over to his closet. His apartment was a small abode, only one room, but Jay didn't mind, it kept things simple. Jay selected his suit and tie and soon he was ready to go. Walking to his bedside table, Jay picked up a photo of an aging woman with gray hair. Turning it over, Jay read the word Joan before flipping it back. Kissing the photo, Jay placed it back on his bedside table.

"Not too long now Joan!" said Jay.

Jay stepped through the door to his apartment and locked it before speeding off to work.

* * *

"And today the Bonaparte Museum will be hosting the centuries-old painting, The sleeping Woman by Pablo Picasso."

Present Mic and Aizawa were currently sitting in the treacher lounge, doing paperwork as the TV played the news.

"Hey hey hey, Aizawa!" said Present Mic.

"What is it Yamada?" said Aizawa.

"How's your summer going?" asked Present Mic, "Cause mine's been great, the podcast has really soared in popularity this season!"

"I don't care." grumbled Aizawa, "I have paperwork to do."

"C'mon Aizawa, lighten up!" said Present Mic, "There's not even that much paperwork left to do! Go outside, climb Mount Fuji, take Mrs. Joke up on that date!"

"No, no, and no," said Aizawa.

*Creak*

The two teachers turned their heads to find that Jay has entered the teacher's lounge with a stack of paperwork tall enough to touch the ceiling and a book about teaching.

"Seems he takes after All-Might," said Aizawa, noting that All-Might also carried around a book about teaching.

"Ah, morning chums!" said Jay, "Just doing some paperwork!"

Setting the stack down on a table, Jay begins to work at super speed, the stack shrinking in size with each passing moment.

"Chum?" said Present Mic, "How old is this guy?"

"He's in his 50's at least," said Aizawa, "though I'm skeptical as to his intentions."

"Huh? What makes you say that?" asked Present Mic.

Aizawa grimaced, "Think about it, Nezu fast tracks this old guy as a new teacher. Not only that, but he has to be given a hero's license. He has no background as far as I know. It just doesn't seem rational."

"Hmm? You don't trust Nezu's judgment?" said Present Mic.

"No, I trust it, I just don't trust him," said Aizawa.

"Well, why don't you ask him to go on patrol with you?" asked Present Mic.

"Huh?" said Aizawa.

"Think about it, you get some sun and fresh air and you get to talk to him about this stuff you're so worried about!" said Aizawa.

Aizawa put his hand to his chin, "Hmm, that's a surprisingly good idea, especially coming from you Yamada."

"Thanks, I-Hey!" said Present Mic.

Aizawa got up from his chair and approached Jay, who in the space of a few minutes had already finished the massive stack of paperwork and was now deeply invested in his book.

"Garrick?" said Aizawa.

"Oh!" said Jay, startled, "Apologies Mr. Aizawa, you startled me. I should be used to this considering Bruce did it all the time back home."

"Bruce?" said Aizawa.

"A friend, that's all." said Jay, "I took the liberty of relieving you of some of your paperwork, seemed like a heavy workload. I had the spare time as well so I-"

"Would you like to go out on patrol with me?" asked Aizawa.

"Excuse me?" said Jay, "Patrol? I'd love to!"

Shutting the book, Jay sped out of the room, returning in a matter of seconds in his costume.

"And what about you're costume?" said Jay.

Aizawa sighed, "I'm wearing it."

Jay looked over the black ragged cloak, "I see, well, let's get to it!"

* * *

The sun shined brightly through clear skies as Aizawa and Jay walked the streets. Tourists and normal civilians milled about, attending to their onj business.

"Beautiful day, isn't it chum!" said Jay, "Not a cloud in sight!"

"Hmm." grunted Aizawa, who wasn't used to this much sunlight, "You remind me a lot of Toshinori, especially that attitude."

"It always helps to be friendly!" said Jay, "It's our job to make these people feel safe."

"Hmm," said Aizawa.

_He seems genuine when it comes to his job and attitude, but what about his qualifications?_

"Garrick," said Aizawa.

"Yes?" said Jay.

"How many years have you been a hero?" asked Aizawa.

"Hmm?" said Jay, finger to his temple, "About 70 years."

"70 years?!" said Aizawa, "You don't look a day over 50!"

"Heh," chuckled Jay, "Benefits of the powers."

Aizawa sighed, "Alright, but if you've been in the business for that long, how come I've never heard of you?"

"Well," said Jay, rubbing the back of his head, "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

Aizawa gave Jay an evil eye, "Really? Try me."

Jay sighed, "Ok, I-"

*KABOOM*

An explosion shakes the earth, interrupting Aizawa and Jay as smoke begins to rise down the street.

Aizawa placed his goggles on his face, "Jay-"

"I'm on it!" said Jay, grabbing Aizawa and racing down the street.

* * *

Jay slides to a stop in front of the damaged building, a museum whose front entrance has been blown up with chunks of debris and fires everywhere. Placing Aizawa on the ground, Jay observed the damage.

"I'm going to check for civilians caught in the wreckage." said Jay, "What are you going to-"

Jay turned to find Aizawa hunched over, "Uh, Chum?"

Aizawa put his hand up, "Give me a moment, I don't wanna lose my lunch."

"Alright, I'll go ahead then!" said Jay, racing off.

Aizawa took a deep breath, letting his stomach settle before standing up straight. Turning towards the museum, Aizawa was shocked to find a group of civilians have already been placed outside the building. While a few were coughing due to smoke inhalation, the majority of them were unharmed. Jay sped out of the museum, running around all the fires to put them out before stopping at Aizawa's feet.

"Nobody's seriously harmed, but we should call an ambulance just in case. Smoke inhalation is serious business," said Jay.

Aizawa stood dumbstruck, "Uh-huh."

"Now!" said Jay, "I'll just finish up here!"

"Finish up?" said Aizawa.

Jay winked at Aizawa before racing back to the museum and rapidly repairing it. Aizawa stood in utter shock as Jay rebuild the entrance in a matter of minutes.

"Done!" said Jay, "Though there is a painting missing."

"Did-did you just rebuild the museum?" asked Aizawa.

"I sure did chum!" said Jay.

"Why?" asked Aizawa, "There are repair crews for that."

"Well, I don't want to waste their time on something I could do!" said Jay, "If I have the chance to help, I take it!"

Aizawa sighed, "You really are just like Toshinori."

"Thank you!" said Jay, "But as I said, a painting is missing."

"Hmm?" said Aizawa, "Could it be possible the bombing was just a ruse in order to steal the painting?"

"I'd put my money on it if I were a gambling man, which I'm not," said Jay.

Aizawa looked at the crowd of civilians, "Are you sure you got everyone?"

"Yes, positive." said Jay before his eyes widened, "Ah, you think the thief is in the crowd?"

"Exactly," said Aizawa, "Let's start searching."

Jay smiled, "Actually, I have a better idea."

* * *

"Everyone!"

The crowd turned to Jay, who was waving his hands next to Aizawa, "I apologize for the interruption, many of you likely want to just go home and forget this ever happened. However, we have reason to believe that the culprit for this bombing is among you. I only ask that the bomber come forward with the piece of stolen art."

Silence followed as the crowd shuffled about nervously. After a few moments, a man in a trenchcoat stepped forward.

"Heheheh." said the man.

"Are you the thief?" asked Jay.

"You bet your ass I am!" shouted the man, throwing his trenchcoat off to reveal a rainbow-colored spandex suit and goggles as well as the painting in question, "You, unknown hero, get to bear witness to the debut of the soon to be world-famous art thief, THE RAINBOW RAIDER!"

Jay smirked, "Told you it would work, most villains have a real ego to be stroked."

"I've erased his quirk, put him in cuffs," said Aizawa.

"Ha, a fatal error!" shouted Rainbow Raider, "In truth, I'm quirkless, but with my vastly superior intellect, I've crafted these goggles that allow me to craft solid beams of colored light!"

Suddenly, a square, colored like a rainbow, appears under Rainbow Raider, lifting him off the ground.

"What the?" said Aizawa.

"Duck!" shouted Jay, grabbing Aizawa.

The square of light extended, carrying Rainbow Raider forward while leaving a trail not dissimilar to a rainbow, "TASTE THE RAINBOW BITCHES!"

As Raider sailed away, Jay and Aizawa quickly gave chase.

"Damn, he's fast," said Aizawa, "can you catch him."

"Yes, but I need a distraction." said Jay, "Keep chasing him, I'll disable him. Keep an eye on what he sends your way, he can hit you with color rays that change your emotional state."

Aizawa nodded as Jay split off, going down a different street.

"HAH, did the old man give up?" shouted Rainbow Raider, "One down, one to go!"

Aizawa's eyes narrowed as he began using his wrap scarf to begin swinging.

"Woah!" said Rainbow Rider, "Didn't know you could do that! Don't worry, I'll ramp it up!"

Rainbow Raider began to ascend, forcing Aizawa to climb higher with his scarf. Slowly but surely, the two began to rise above the rooftops.

"Hah, any higher and you won't be able to follow me!" shouted Rainbow Raider, "Nothing to grab onto with the scarf!"

_Damn_

Just as Rainbow Rider began to clear the rooftops, a flash of lightning blinds Raider and Aizawa's eyes as Jay suddenly appears, having raced up the side of the building, and grabs Rainbow Raider's goggles, causing the platform he was standing on to dissipate.

"AAAAGH!" shouted Rainbow Raider, falling onto the rooftop. The painting falls out of his hands, but Jay catches it before it can hit the ground.

"Y-You won't get away with this!" said Rainbow Raider, "I have right-MMMPH"

Aizawa wraps Rainbow Raider in his scarf, shutting him up, "You'll have plenty of time explaining these things to the police."

"Heh, nice job!" said Jay, "We make a pretty good team!"

Aizawa paused, "Hmm, I guess you're right."

"Well, what are we waiting for chum!" said Jay, "Let's take him away!"

"Not so fast." said Aizawa, "You told me he could change my emotional state."

"Yes?" said Jay.

"And yet, this was his debut." said Aizawa, "He never revealed this information to us."

Jay looked surprised, "I would explain that to you, but it's quite complicated."

"I have time." said Aizawa, "Let's put him away, then we'll talk."

* * *

Birds chirped as the two heroes sat across from one another in a local Jitters, Jay sipping coffee.

"And that's the whole truth." said Jay, "I don't enjoy lying, it's not ethical."

"No, I believe you." said Aizawa, "It's the only conceivable way Nezu would trust you so quickly." Aizawa rubbed the back of his head, "But still, parallel dimensions, it's a lot to process."

"I understand, take your time," said Jay.

"There's just one thing I want you to explain to me." said Aizawa, "I've noticed your preferential treatment regarding Allen. I can't in good conscience let a teacher favor a single student over the others."

Jay looked down, "I understand, I just want him to be ready."

"All these kids need to be ready." said Aizawa, "Allen isn't special."

"He is, considering the fact that if I'm correct, he may be in more danger than anyone else at UA."

Aizawa's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

Jay looked into his coffee, "On my earth, Barry Allen was killed by Zoom, another speedster. But Barry's worst enemy was a man named Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash. He's committed many crimes, but none as heinous as going back in time and murdering Barry's mother."

Aizawa's eyes widened, "This Reverse-Flash, he's not just exclusive to your dimension?"

"No, but I don't know if he's here," said Jay, "That's why I want to train Barry, just in case."

"Is that really all?" asked Aizawa, "I can tell there's something more."

Jay sighed, "The Barry on my earth, he died because I wasn't fast enough. I won't let another Barry Allen die."

Aizawa sighed, "I won't let you keep favoring Barry in class, it violates your integrity as a teacher."

Jay slumped his head, "I-I understand."

"However," said Aizawa, "The upcoming training camp will provide you with ample opportunity to train Allen to his fullest potential."

Jay perked up, "W-What?!"

"You said it yourself, both of you share extremely similar powers, which makes you uniquely suited to challenging the limits of those powers." said Aizawa, "You can prepare him then."

"I..." said Jay, "Thank you!"

"Just one thing," said Aizawa.

"What is it?" asked Jay.

A devilish grin formed on Aizawa's face, "Whip his hide when you train him, push him as hard as possible. I won't be happy if you go easy on him."

Jay chuckled, "Heh, noted."

"Emergency!"

The tv at the diner flickers on, broadcasting breaking news, "Flooding in the city of Fukuoka after the collapse of the flood barriers! Heroes needed for the relief effort!"

Jay turned to Aizawa, "I'm sorry, I've got to go."

"Hm?" said Aizawa, "Fukuoka is 100 miles away, how will you get there?"

Jay smiled, "I'll run."

Jay disappeared in a spark of lighting, and a few minutes later, he appeared on the news.

"Breaking news! A new hero has arrived on the scene and is now repairing the flood barriers!"

Aizawa leaned back in his seat, "Heh, showoff."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an interlude chapter between seasons 2 and 3. Next chapter dives into season 3!


	40. Training Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training Camp begins! While most of the Class is excited, Barry's conversation with Eobard Thawne has left him shaken. Barry must deal with this pressure, even while training to be a real hero!

*Pap**Pap**Pap**Pap**Pap**Pap**Pap**Pap*

Barry beat at the punching bag in his room at breakneck speed, creating a draft behind him. Sweat rolled off his brow as the bag shook with each impact.

*Huff* *Huff*

Barry breathed heavily, beginning to slow down.

_Is Thawne going to slow down Barry? I don't think so._

Barry's knuckles whitened as he began to pound away at the bag with more intensity, his fists radiating lightning.

_He wants to hurt me, so I'll hurt HIM!_

*BAM*

Barry delivers a supercharged strike, exploding the bag and coating half his room in sand.

"AAH!"

A scream reaches Barry's ears as Forrest bursts through the door.

"Barry! What happened?! I heard-" Forrest pauses when he sees the room coated in sand, "Goddamnit Barry, you ruined another punching bag!"

"Sorry Forrest!" said Barry, rubbing the back of his head, "I guess I don't know my own strength."

"Uhuh," said Forrest, "Well now I gotta get you a new one, though I doubt you'll need it."

"Why not?" said Barry.

"I was coming up to your room to tell you that training camp starts tomorrow." said Forrest, "Don't you remember?"

To be honest, Barry had forgotten not only about the camp but about his summer vacation. His entire break was dedicated to training for Thawne, who Barry was sure would strike at any moment. He would have to pack quickly.

"Tomorrow?" said Barry, "Summer break just flew right by! Don't worry I'll be packed by tomorrow."

"Good, I signed the slips and everything." said Forrest, leaving the room, "I'll see you off then, say hi to Kirishima for me!"

"I will!" said Barry.

Barry sighed, walking over to his desk. Pulling out a notepad, Barry flipped through it, scanning the notes. They were notes on Thawne, everything he knew about him, and why he hated Barry.

_I saved his dad, wouldn't that constitute to him not wanting me dead? And what did he mean by a liar? I'm no liar._

*VRRM*

Barry's phone vibrated in his pocket, so he pulled it out and searched the messages. It was from Kirishima.

_Hey man, wanna hang out sometime tonight? Tomorrow's the trip!_

Barry frowned, answering back, _Busy, sorry._

Placing his phone back in his pocket, Barry sat down.

_I haven't really seen anyone all summer, but I couldn't afford to. This Thawne guy, he's out there and he's out for blood._

Barry placed the notebook on his desk, clicking his pen.

_I'll figure you out, I promise._

* * *

Mina tapped her left foot while waiting at the bus with most of the class. It was a sunny day, though it was still fairly early.

*Yawn*

Mina yawned, stretching her arms.

"Early morning?"

Mina turned to find Kaminari walking toward the bus with a bag of clothing, "You look well-rested."

"Yep!" said Mina, "I made sure to go to sleep early!"

"Good for you." said Kaminari, "I made the mistake of staying up playing video games, not the best choice."

"Aw, we all make mistakes," said Mina.

"Yeah," said Kaminari, "Like, when are you gonna tell Barry how you feel?"

"Gah!" yelped Mina, avoiding Kaminari's eyes, "I-I'm working on it."

"Well don't work on it forever!" said Kaminari, "If you wait too long, he'll move on to someone else!"

"I-I'll do it!" said Mina.

"Somehow I don't believe you." said Kaminari, "Especially considering you didn't tell him over the summer, that was the perfect time!"

"I couldn't help it!" said Mina, "Barry didn't want to hang out!"

"All summer?" said Kaminari.

"Yeah!" said Mina, "It's probably because of what happened at the mall!"

"Wait, what happened at the mall?" said Kaminari.

"N-Nothing!" said Mina.

Kaminari sighed, "Alright Ashido, I'm gonna issue an ultimatum!"

"W-What!" said Mina.

"Tell Barry by the end of training camp," said Kaminari, "or I'll tell him for you!"

"Y-You wouldn't!" said Mina.

"I would!" chuckled Kaminari.

Kaminari slung his bag over his shoulder and began to walk away, "Do it or else!"

Mina paced back and forth nervously, "What do I do what do I do what do I do!"

"Need some help?"

Mina came face to face with Kirishima, "Ah, no, nothing."

"If you're nervous about the extra lessons, don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll get through fine." said Kirishima, looking around, "Hey, have you seen Barry?"

"No, I haven't seen him all summer," said Mina, pouting.

"Damn, you too?" said Kirishima.

Mina's head perked up, "Wait, you didn't see him all summer either?"

"No.," said Kirishima, "He said he was busy every time I asked if he wanted to hang out."

Mina frowned, "Do you think he's in trouble or something?"

"I don't know, He said he wasn't dwelling on his mom," said Kirishima.

"I hope not." said Mina before her eyes widened, "Wait, you know?!"

"Yeah, he told me about it, really sad stuff," said Kirishima.

"What's sad? Could it be that some of you failed?!"

Mina and Kirishima turned to find Monoma approaching them.

"Ugh, not this guy," said Kirishima.

"Ha!" said Monoma, "Afraid that Class 1-B will usurp you? That is really sad!"

"Hey!" said Mina, "We're talking about something that's actually sad! Don't be a jerk!"

"My my!" said Monoma, "Someone's sensitive!"

"Monoma!"

Monoma turned to find his fellow classmate, Derek James, crossing his arms while tapping his feet, "You have a problem."

"HAH!" said Monoma, pushing his hair back, "You've sent me to frosted mountains, freezing waters, and arid deserts! I can handle wherever you send me!"

"Sure," said Derek, making a rift, "but can you handle what I send to you?"

Instead of forcing Monoma into a rift, a certain reptile crawls out, making its way towards Monoma with surprising speed.

"GAH!" said Monoman, running away, "An alligator!"

"I hear they're really active this time of year!" said Derek.

Monoma ran in circles, barely outpacing the gator. Just as the gator caught up to him, a massive hand struck the reptile, knocking it out. Kendo stood up, glaring at Derek.

"Ah!" said Monoma, "My savior! Kendo, knock some sense into young Dere-"

Another open-handed chop and Monoma is on the floor.

Kendo sighed, "As bad as Monoma is at times like these, he is our classmate." Kendo looked at Derek, "Please refrain from sending dangerous animals after him."

Derek hung his head, "Roger, I'm sorry."

Kendo smirked, slinging Monoma over her shoulder, "Heh, you can say sorry to Monoma on the bus."

As Class 1-B boarded the bus, Aizawa and Jay arrived on the scene.

"Alright youngsters," announced Jay, "line up, we're heading out!"

"H-Hey, where's Barry?" asked Mina.

"Here!"

Barry slid into line, his hair unkempt and his bag barely zipped up.

"Your ability to arrive late consistently is perplexing to me Allen." said Aizawa, "It would do you well to break that habit."

"Yup, sorry!" said Barry.

As the line began to move, Mina glanced back at Barry, a look of worry on her face.

* * *

*BRMMMMMM*

The bus sputtered to a start, ready to leave.

"Alright everyone!" announced Iida, "Take your seats!"

Barry sat down in one of the middle rows, leaning his head on the window.

*Yawn*

Barry rubbed his eyes, which had dark circles located underneath.

_Man, maybe I shouldn't have stayed up all night looking into Thawne._

"Hey, Barry?"

Barry looked up to find Mina, "Mind if I sit here?"

"No, I don't mind, go ahead!" said Barry.

"Cool!" said Mina, taking a seat, "So, how was your summer?"

"It was pretty busy," said Barry, "I was doing a lot of….research."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense." said Mina, "It must have been important. Neither I nor Kirishima got to see you all summer."

Barry rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, a real shame."

*Yawn*

"Late night?" said Mina.

"Yeah, I was researching," said Barry.

"Researching what?" asked Mina, "Girls?"

"Yeah, I was-" Barry shot a weird look at Mina, "No, I wasn't researching girls!"

"Hah!" said Mina, "You fell right into that one!"

Barry sighed, "Alright alright, I did fall for that one."

"Heh, victory!" said Mina.

Barry stretched his arms, "I'm gonna take a nap, do you mind waking me up when we stop?"

"Sure, I'll do that!" said Mina.

Barry smiled at Mina before leaning his head against the window and falling asleep.

"Psst!"

Mina looked across the middle of the bus, meeting Kaminari's gaze, "You call that a confession?!"

"I'm not gonna ask him on the bus dummy!" shouted Mina.

"Who's confessing?!" asked Mineta, who sat next to Kaminari.

"None of your business!" said Mina.

"With boobs like yours, it is my business!" said Mineta.

"Shut up you!" said Mina.

As the racket continued, Aizawa grumbled in the driver's seat.

"I wish those kids would make less of a racket," said Aizawa.

"Ah, let em have their fun." said Jay, "Considering what you've got cooked up, they won't be having much of it later on."

Aizawa smirked, driving on.

* * *

"Barry."

Barry's head whirled around the darkness, trying to locate the source of the voice, "Who's there?!"

"It's me, your mother."

Appearing out of thin air, Nora Allen stumbled into Barry's vision, her hands over a gaping hole in her stomach.

"MOM!" shouted Barry, running over to his mother as she collapsed onto the ground. Barry cradled his mother, looking her in the eyes, "No no no! Please don't go, please!"

"Barry..." whispered Nora.

"W-What?" asked Barry.

"Why did you let me die?" groaned Nora, "And how could you let your father go to prison?"

"I-I couldn't do anything, I didn't have a quirk." said Barry, "and I don't know who killed you, I don't know who's guilty."

"You are Barry." groaned Nora, her life fading, "You are…."

"Mom, NO!" cried Barry as his mother's body dissolved, leaving nothing but blood on his hands.

"Barry!" said a new voice, "Help me man!"

Barry whirled around, spotting a body lying on the ground. Racing over, Barry gasped, "KIRISHIMA!"

Kirishima laid on his back, groaning and writhing in pain. Barry looked in horror as he saw Kirishima's legs, which were bent in all the wrong directions. They were caked in blood, with bones protruding out of the flesh.

"Why!" cried Kirishima, "Why didn't you stop Thawne Barry!"

"I-I'm going to, I swear!" said Barry, "I won't let this happen!"

"Are you sure you can stop him?" asked Kirishima, "He could kill you at every opportunity, he could even kill you now!"

"No, I can stop him!" said Barry, a strain on his voice, "I can."

"Barry?"

Kirishima disappeared, Mina appeared spontaneously.

"M-Mina?" said Barry.

"Where were you?" said Mina.

"Where was I when?" asked Barry.

"Where were you when Thawne killed me?" said Mina.

"W-What?!" said Barry.

Barry then watched in horror as a Mina began to choke, gurgling as blood came rushing up her throat and out of her mouth.

"MINA!" shouted Barry, rushing towards her as her body went limp. Barry attempts to wrap his arms around her body, but she passes right through him as if he isn't there, falling down through the floor.

"MINA!" shouted Barry, "COME BACK!"

"She isn't coming back, Barry."

Barry, red-eyed and teary, turned around to find Thawne standing behind him. Thawne smirked, licking blood off his finger, "Mmmh, tasty."

Barry growled, balling up his fists, "THAWNE!"

Barry screamed, throwing his fists around in a desperate attempt to hit Thawne. But no matter what Barry did, Thawne simply disappeared and reappeared a little further away.

"GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!" shouted Barry.

"You need to wake up Barry." said Thawne, "You'll never catch me!"

"SHUT UP!" shouted Barry.

"You didn't hear me correctly." said Thawne, appearing in front of Barry while vibrating his hand, "WAKE! UP!"

Thawne drove his hand through Barry's head, causing it to explode as his eyes and bits of his brain went everywhere.

* * *

*GASP!*

Barry's eyes shot open as the bus rolled to a stop. Sweat dripped off his brow as he picked his head up from the window. He took a deep breath, calming himself down.

"Mmph."

_Wha-_

Barry looked down, surprised to find Mina's head resting on his lap.

"Uh. Um!" stuttered Barry, realizing that if Mina didn't get up, something was going to poke her head, "Mina?"

"Hmm?" groaned Mina, picking her head up while rubbing her eyes, "What is it?"

"We've stopped?" said Barry.

"Did we?" said Mina, looking out the window, "Oh yeah, we did. Sorry I didn't wake you like I was supposed to."

"It's fine," said Barry, placing his hands on his lap to hide that which shall not be named.

Birds chirped as Barry stepped out of the bus, taking in the sights. The bus had stopped at an overlook positioned on a cliff above a valley containing a dense forest. The valley was wide in scope, looking almost like a crater.

"You sure this isn't too harsh?" said Jay, who stood nearby.

"It's what they need," said Aizawa.

"Wait, what do you mean?" said Barry, "What's too harsh? Isn't this a rest stop?"

"Oh, far from it kid!"

A new voice rang out as four figures revealed themselves. 2 mid 30s women in skirts and futuristic cat outfits appeared, alongside a boy with ginger hair and a smaller boy with horns and a baseball cap.

"Rock on with these sparkling gazes!" said one woman, sporting a red outfit and brown hair.

"Stingingly cute and catlike!" said the other woman, wearing a blue outfit with blond hair.

"We're the Wild Wild Pussycats!" they announced together, striking a pose.

Barry scratched his head, "Wait, who are these guys?"

"Well, they're the people who'll be training you." said Jay, "Aside from me and Aizawa of course."

"Oh, I know them!" said Midoriya, "They're a four-member veteran hero team that specializes in mountain rescue! They've been operating for over 12 years-"

The blonde woman surged forward, planting her paw directly over Midoriya's face.

"We're 18 at heart!" she excitedly exclaimed.

Barry and Mina looked on in utter shock.

"I don't mean to be mean," said Barry, "but you don't have to be young to fall in love if that's your deal."

"Oh, so would you go on a date with me when you turn eighteen cutie?!" exclaimed the woman, inching closer to Barry.

"Uh, Japan has Child Protective Services right?" asked Barry.

"Calm down Pixie-Bob, It's nothing to get excited about." said the other woman, "Apologies, I'm Mandalay, the other two members of our team are at your lodging."

"Lodging?" said Mina, "Where's that?"

Mandalay pointed to the other end of the valley, "At the foot of that mountain, there!"

"Then why'd we stop here?" asked Uraraka.

"Uh Oh, they haven't figured it out!"

The class turned their attention to the ginger-haired boy.

"Wally?" whispered Jay under his breath.

"It's 9:30 now," said Mandalay, "If you're quick, you can make it by lunchtime."

"What's she talking about?!" asked Mina.

"Hey, we should probably head back to the buses," said Sero.

The boy grinned, "This is the part where you have to run!"

Barry's eyes widened, understanding immediately.

*WHOOSH*

"Wha-Barry?!" shouted Mina, watching as Barry blitzed forward, making a running leap off the overlook.

"Wally West!" said Mandalay, "I told you, no hints!"

"I had to give some of them a chance!" said Wally, "Besides, now Pixie-Bob has her fun!"

"What?!" shouted Mina.

Pixie-Bob smirked, placing her paws on the ground.

* * *

Barry raced forward through the forest, watching as the trees became blurs.

_Maybe I was a little too fast. I could have warned the others._

Barry slides to a stop, looking back.

_I should warn them before-_

Just before he can backtrack, Barry watches as the overlook explodes, showering dirt everywhere.

_Or not._

Barry raced ahead, unaware of the hell the camp will bring upon him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huzzah, we've hit forty chapters! Thanks for the Kudos as well friends!


	41. The Hot Springs Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry has arrived at the lodge and before everyone else to boot! However, that wasn't what the teachers intended, so Jay puts Barry to work on something special.

Barry sped through the forest, dodging trees on his way to the lodge. Light shined through the leaves as Barry leaped over rocks and roots.

_Man, it's a good thing that kid warned me when he did. I was almost toast-_

*Thud*

A wall of dirt forms instantaneously in front of Barry, causing him to collide with it. Falling on his back, Barry clutched his stomach, groaning as the wall fell.

_W-What was that?!_

Getting onto his feet, Barry observed more walls forming, starting to box him in.

_Must be one of the pussycat's quirks._

Barry smirked.

_Well, they don't know that I can do this!_

Vibrating his molecules, Barry effortlessly strode through the wall, only to find more.

_Oh, forget this!_

Using his speed, Barry raced up the side of a tree, making a leap to clear the dirt walls. As the walls rose in height, Barry continued to climb as well, leaping from branch to branch.

_Ha! They can't keep up!_

* * *

"Damn!" said Pixie-Bob, "That blonde kid is fast, I can't herd him back to the others!"

Jay stepped forward, looking over the valley, "Let him go, he's not the same as the others."

"Hey, no matter how cute he is, I'm not just gonna let up!" said Pixie-Bob.

"Don't worry, I've got something else in mind." said Jay, "I think you'll quite like it."

"Really?" said Pixie-Bob, "What is it?"

Jay smirked, "Let's have Barry relieve you of some work."

* * *

Barry slid to a stop in front of a clearing, looking at the huge lodge in front of him. Despite his speed, it had still taken him hours to get there. It was around noon.

"Wow, so this is where we're staying?!" said Barry.

"Sure is!"

Barry turned around, finding Jay had chased him down.

"Oh, Jay!" said Barry, "I got here before anybody else, but I feel a bit bad leaving everyone behind."

"Hey, you caught on faster than the rest of them." said a new voice.

Barry watched in confusion as the ginger-haired boy from before emerged from behind Jay, crossing his arms.

"Hey, it's you!" said Barry, "I gotta thank you for the warning!"

"Don't thank me yet." said the boy, "Listen to what the old man has to say."

Jay frowned at being called an old man, but continued, "The plan was for the whole class to arrive at once so we could do a tour of the facilities together, but you got here a few hours early."

Barry cocked his head, "What does that mean for me?"

"It means," said Jay, "you get to help the teachers!"

"Huh?!" said Barry, "What do you mean help the teachers?!"

"Follow me!" said Jay, zipping inside while grabbing the boy. Barry followed suite, utterly confused.

* * *

The 2 speedsters arrived inside, staring into a large kitchen.

"A kitchen?" said Barry, "Why a kitchen?"

"Well," said Jay, putting down the boy, "The plan was for the class to make its own food, though today the teachers were going to do it to help you settle in."

"And you're telling me this...why?" said Barry.

"Well," said the boy, "since you got here so early, and the old man wants to shield you from the middle aged pedophile, you'll be cooking all the food for your classmates!"

Barry narrowed his eyes, "...Huh?!"

"Wally here will read you the directions." said Jay.

"What?!" said the boy, apparently named Wally, "I don't wanna be locked in her for four hours!"

"Sorry kid, someone has to direct Barry," said Jay, "Good Luck!"

Jay zipped out the door, locking it behind him and leaving the two boys inside. A moment of silence ensued as Barry processed the events that just occurred while Wally frustratingly sighed.

"So," said Barry, "Wally right?"

Class 1-A stumbled through the forest, caked in dirt and sweat. Their legs shuffled weakly as they drew shallow breaths.

"Damn that Barry!" said Mineta, "He tucked tail and ran!"

"We're all trying to get there Mineta." said Mina, "Barry just got there faster."

"I bet the bastards enjoying the air conditioning right now!" said Mineta.

* * *

"DON'T PUT THE PEPPERS IN YET!" shouted Wally.

"WHY, I CHOPPED THEM ALREADY?!" said Barry.

"Because the Onions still need to simmer!" said Wally.

Barry groaned, tossing the knife on the cutting board and sitting down to watch the Onions cook.

"Man, this is a punishment!" said Barry, "I can't use my speed to cook all the food at once."

"Duh, cooking takes time." said Wally, "You ever had to roast something? The meat sits in the oven for hours."

Barry sighed, "Guess that's the way it is."

Wally walked over to the pan, taking a sniff, "Needs more salt."

Grabbing a pinch of salt, Wally sprinkled some into the pan.

"You seem to know your way around the kitchen." said Barry.

"Yup, my aunt's not home often, so I had to cook for myself a lot." said Wally, "She's a journalist."

"Oh." said Barry, "Where is she now?"

"Afghanistan," said Wally, "the Pussycats are family friends, so I'm staying with them for now."

"Afghanistan?" said Barry, "I know the oil wars and such are over, but it's still a fairly delicate place, you think she's safe?"

"Oh definitely, my aunt eats people for breakfast." said Wally, "Time to add peppers."

Barry sped over to the cutting board, dicing the peppers up further before sliding them into the pan.

"You're fast." said Wally.

"Yeah, I am." said Barry.

"Not as fast as All-Might though." said Wally.

Barry shot a look at Wally, "Hey! What made you make that comparison?"

"I didn't want you getting any ideas!" said Wally, "All-Might's the best at everything!"

"Heh," said Barry, "You think he's the best cook?"

"Um," stammered Wally, unable to answer, "No."

"Well, he can't be the best at everything then." said Barry, stirring the peppers at super speed. "Though he is an amazing hero."

"Hah, preaching to the choir!" said Wally.

Barry looked back at Wally, "How old are you?"

"14," said Wally, "my birthday was a month ago."

"Wow," said Barry, "You don't look 14."

"Shut up!" said Wally, "Looks don't determine age, physical or mental."

"You're pretty smart for a 14 year old, that's for sure." said Barry.

"Yeah, I am." said Wally, "You've ruined the food."

"Huh?" said Barry, looking back at the pan. He had stirred so fast that all the food had been ground into much, "OH SON OF A-"

Barry sighed, dumping the contents of the pan into the trash, "Time to start over."

"Hah, what you lack in brains you make up for in brawn!" said Wally.

"Can you stop with the jabs." said Barry, "I'm trying to cook food here."

* * *

Another dirt monster fell, a product of Pixie-Bob's quirk.

"Gah!" said Mina, clutching her side, "That sucked, I think I broke a rib."

"Such is the nature of training camp!" said Iida, "We must press onward!"

"No more!" Cried Mineta, "No more!"

* * *

"The kid with the baseball cap," said Barry, "Who's he?"

"A valued member of the Pussycats." said Wally.

"Quit messing with me." said Barry, "Who is he, really."

"He's Mandalay's second cousin," said Wally, "he's not as into heroes as I am."

"Why is that?" asked Barry.

"It's because of his parents." said Wally, "They were heroes, but they died in a villain attack."

Barry looked solemn, he could relate after all, "That's awful."

"Yeah, I've tried talking to him, but he never wants to listen or anything." said Wally, "I just...wish I could help him."

Barry frowned, putting down the pan to let it simmer, "Wally, what do you try to talk about with Kota."

"Anything!" said Wally, "But we always get into an argument about heroes, he has this stupid idea that they're all corny and stupid!"

Barry stepped away from the stovetop, "Maybe you shouldn't try to convince him."

"Huh?" said Wally.

"Wally, Kota had something unthinkable happen to him at an age so young he didn't even know how to process it. Hell, I had something similar happen to me when I was ten and I'm still not fully over it." said Barry, "He's still grieving, give him time. He's not gonna change his mind for a while after something like that, so don't try to. Talk about other things, try to connect with him there."

Wally put the cookbook down, "I….Thanks for the advice."

"You're welcome!" said Barry.

"The stuff's about to burn." said Wally.

Barry whirled around at super-speed, snatching the food off the stovetop, "Not this time!"

Letting the food cool, he placed it onto a platter, "Great, one serving completed, 20 more to go! I wish I could cook it faster though."

"Give it time, it's grieving." said Wally.

"Hey, I gave you good advice, don't push your luck." said Barry.

* * *

The sun had begun to set as Class 1-A finally began to enter the clearing. They were exhausted, having gone through far more resistance than Barry did. The wooden lodge stood in front of them, as well as Jay, Mandalay, Aizawa, and Pixie-Bob.

"Oh god!" said Kirishima "I'm so hungry I'm gonna die!"

"They were totally exaggerating when they said 3 hours!" said Mina.

"That's how long it would have taken us to get here." said Mandalay, "You on the other hand."

"Did you say that just to boast about how much better you are," asked Sato, "cause that's mean."

"Don't worry, you did better than we expected," said Pixie-Bob, "Especially you four!"

Pixie-Bob pointed at the group that consisted of Iida, Todoroki, Bakugo, and Midoriya, "I would include the other cutie who arrived early, but Jay here snatched him away for some other job."

"Huh, Barry got a special assignment?!" said Mina.

"LUCKY BASTARD!" screamed Mineta.

"Alright class, calm down." said Aizawa, "Let's get inside, I assume you all want to eat."

"YES PLEASE!" said the class.

* * *

The meal room of the lodge was full of the usual benches and tables. While not the fanciest accommodation, it was certainly enough for the exhausted class. The teachers had gathered around, watching over them as Kota stood by.

"Ah man!" said Kirishima, "Bring out the grub already!"

"Be patient Kirishima," said Midoriya, "It'll be ready when it's ready."

Jay chuckled, "You kiddos are gonna have to cook your own food for most of your time here, but today's special."

"What makes it special?" asked Kaminari.

"We wanted to ease you into today," said Jay, "Dropping you in the deep end wouldn't be the best idea."

"Aw, thanks Mr. Garrick." said Uraraka.

"Don't thank me, thank your classmate." said Jay, "He got here early, so he got to have a lot of practice."

"Wait," said Mina, "you don't mean..."

A gust of wind blew through the room as a blur passed every table, dropping a plate of food in front of every student's face. The blur slid to a stop, revealing Barry as he took a bow.

"TADA!" announced Barry, "I cooked all your food!"

The class sat in utter shock.

"R-Really?" said Yaoyorozu.

"Yeah, I got here early, so they made me cook food for the rest of the time I was here." said Barry, "Enjoy!"

Barry took a seat, watching tentatively as Kirishima took a bite. He chewed for a few seconds before swallowing.

"Wow!" said Kirishima, "This isn't that bad!"

"Really?!" said Barry.

"It's not restaurant quality." said Todoroki, "But it's serviceable."

"I'll take that as a compliment!" said Barry, digging into his own plate.

The class began to eat, shoveling the food into their mouths. Kota watched with an eye of cynicism.

"Hey Kota."

Kota turned to his right, finding Wally. Instead of answering, he turned away, an angry look on his face.

"C'mon, I just want to talk." said Wally.

"I'm not talking to some Hero shill." said Kota.

Wally sighed, "I...I don't wanna talk about heroes."

Kota glared at Wally, "What?"

"You clearly feel one way about that, I feel another way, that's just the way it is." said Wally, "I don't hate you for feeling that way Kota. I just wanna be friends."

Kota turned away, "No."

"C'mon!" said Wally, "Please!"

Kota turned around, observing the sincere expression on Wally's face, "...Fine, we can talk about hiking."

"Hiking?" said Wally, "Alright!"

Barry glanced over at Wally, who had begun to converse with Kota, and smiled.

_Guess he found some common ground!_

Barry returned to his meal, spooning some rice into his mouth.

Across the table, Kaminari began to giggle, "Heh, Hey Mine."

"Yeah?" said Mina.

"This is some good food." said Kaminari.

"It's pretty decent yeah." said Mina, spooning some food into her mouth.

"Well, if you like it so much," said Kaminari, "Why don't you kiss the cook."

*GAGK*

Mina gagged, choking on the food in her throat. She spat out the spoon, pounding her chest with her fist before she finally spat out the food as well.

"Mina!" said Barry, "Are you ok?!"

Mina looked up, noticing the entire table was looking at her in concern, "T-Thanks, I'm fine."

Her classmates nodded, going back to eating as she shot a death glare at Kaminari.

"What?" said Kaminari.

*Smack*

"Ow!" said Kaminari as Mina slammed her foot onto his.

"Why don't YOU kiss the cook." said Mina, taking a sip of water.

* * *

**AN: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Just gonna leave this here. Ya'll know what's about to go down.**

* * *

"Ah!" said Barry, "That's really nice."

After dinner, the class had decided to visit the hot springs in the lodge to refresh. Barry submerged his body in the warm waters, refreshing himself.

_I don't need this as much as the other guys do, they went through a whole lot more resistance getting here._

Barry took a deep breath, observing his hands.

_When the lightning struck me, I had scars all over my body, but it's kinda crazy how the speed force just...erases damage._

Barry balled up his hands, making a fist.

_I gotta trust the speed force, it's the best way to make sure Thawne doesn't hurt my friends._

"What're you doing over there Mineta?" said Midoriya.

Barry was pulled out of his thoughts by Midoriya, who seemed to be gesturing at Mineta, who stood in front of the tall wooden wall between hot springs.

"I'm here for what's beyond that wall." said Mineta, "You know what I'm talking about. They don't have girls and boys bathe at separate times I guess."

Barry sat up, "Mineta?"

"Don't worry Barry, I won't do anything on purpose." said Mineta, "We'll just have ourselves a happy little accident."

"How about I save us the trouble," said Barry, getting up, "they'll be no accidents, happy or not."

"Heh, I beg to differ." said Mineta, pulling a ball out of his hair.

Before Barry can grab him, Mineta leaps onto the wall, using his balls to rapidly climb upward.

"Oh no you don't!" shouted Barry, leaping after Mineta.

That was his fatal mistake.

Mineta smirked, his master plan in motion. Leaving a ball on the wall, Mineta leaped outward, off the wall as Barry attempted to grab him. Mineta watched as Barry's hand landed on the ball, allowing him to torque his body in midair, his hair sticking itself to Barry's other hand.

"HAHA FOOL!" said Mineta, "YOU FELL VICTIM TO MY MASTER PLAN!"

"W-What?!" stuttered Barry.

"You see, I learned from last time!" said Mineta, "I saw you go through the walls, you got to see all the ladies at their best!"

"I closed my eyes!" shouted Barry, "That's disgusting Mineta!"

"Maybe to you!" said Mineta, "But not to me! See, you can't seem to unstick from my balls without going through a wall, so I'm gonna leave you no choice!"

Mineta cackled maniacally, "So now you have to vibrate to unstick, and when you do I'm going to the other side with you! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Barry was completely flabbergasted, "I-You-What?!"

"Well?" said Mineta, "Vibrate away and deliver my boobs!"

Barry hung for a moment, thinking things through.

_Wait a minute!_

"Well, I don't **have** to vibrate." said Barry.

"HUH?!" said Mineta.

"I can just wait until the girls are gone." said Barry, "Then there'll be no happy accident."

"GAH, a fatal flaw!" said Mineta, "I've been outclassed!"

"You need to give this up Mineta." said Barry, "It's isn't characteristic of a hero."

"You need to stop being such a prude." said Mineta.

*BONK*

"OW!" said Barry, a bump forming on his head, "What the heck?!"

Looking up, Barry spotted Kota holding a mallet on top of the wall, "Wha- Kota?!"

"Try being a good person first before being a hero jerkface!" said Kota, swinging the mallet again.

"OW!" said Barry, "You've got the wrong guy! Mineta is the perv, not me!"

"He's not gonna listen to a prude like you." said Mineta.

In response to the words, Barry raised Mineta into range of the mallet.

"AGH! Put me down!" said Mineta, but it was too late.

Kota swung for the fences, bashing Mineta with the mallet until his face swelled up.

"Guh." said Mineta, groaning.

"What's going on out here?!"

Wally stepped into the hot springs, rubbing his eyes, "I was trying to get some sleep, who's screaming."

"Mineta is!" said Barry, holding the battered Mineta up in his arm, "I'm waiting for the girls to leave so I can get out easier."

"How do you get out?" asked Wally, "And why are you up there?"

"Long story, Mineta's a perv." said Barry, "I have to vibrate my molecules so that I can pass through stuff. But if I don't do it right for each object, stuff explodes."

"That sounds really complicated." said Wally, rubbing his eyes, "Why don't you just vibrate individual limbs?"

"I...huh." said Barry, "I don't know why I didn't think of that earlier."

Vibrating one hand, Barry detaches himself from the wall, landing on the ground. Vibrating his second hand, Barry dropped Mineta onto the floor in a heap.

"Wow, I did it!" said Barry, "Without incident too!"

"GAH!"

Barry looked up as Kota tripped, tumbling off the wall.

_Oh no!_

Before Kota can hit the ground, a gust of wind blows by as Midoriya leaps from the springs, catching him in midair before landing on his feet.

"Holy cow!" said Barry, "Nice catch Midoriya."

"Thanks!" said Midoriya, "Though it looks like he lost his hat."

Barry looked around, scanning the area for the hat, "I don't see it."

"It must have landed on the other side." said Wally, "How're we gonna get it?"

"Let me." said Barry, vibrating only his hand, "I'll just grab it from this side."

Barry walked over to the wall, kneeling down as he stuck his hand through the wall.

"EEP!" said a voice on the other side.

"Sorry!" said Barry, "Just looking for a hat."

"It's about 5 meters to your left!" said another voice.

"Thank you!" said Barry.

Barry moved to the spot, sticking his hand in to grab the hat.

"Heheheh!"

"Huh?" said Barry.

"REVENGE!" shouted Mineta.

Mineta, who had crept up behind Barry, gave him a surprisingly strong shove. On instinct, Barry vibrated his body, trying not to collide with the wall. Unfortunately, he succeeded.

Making it to the other side, Barry stood up, facing the wall, "HA! In your face Mineta, I didn't get hurt!"

"That was never my intention Barry!" said Mineta, "For I have delivered you unto paradise!"

"What do you mean paradi-" Barry stopped mid-sentence, realizing what had happened.

Barry had traveled to the other side, he was in the same area as six nude girls, and the worst part of all.

He wasn't wearing anything.

Barry's entire body heated up as his face grew red while he cursed himself for failing to bring his towel through the wall.

"B-Barry." muttered Mina, "No-one's looking!"

"P-Please don't say anything!" said Barry, who was aware that the ladies were getting a full view of his nude buttocks.

"I'm….Just gonna go." said Barry.

"G-Go already!" said Mina, blushing madly as the rest of the girls remained turned away.

Barry dashed out at super speed, leaving the girls alone.

"Whew." said Mina, still fairly red in the cheeks, "I'm glad that's over."

"Me too." said Toru, "Just one question Mina."

"Yeah?" asked Mina.

"Why didn't you look away?" asked Toru.

"Eh?" said Mina seconds before her entire face lit up, "I-I-I-I didn't look, I wasn't!"

"Pretty sure you were." said Toru.

"I wasn't, I wasn't, I wasn't!" yelped Mina, "AAAAAAAGH!"

* * *

Barry took a deep breath, safely out of the hot springs.

"Whew!" said Barry, "Crisis avoided, nobody saw something they would regret."

Barry turned a corner in the hallway, only to come face to face with Pixie-Bob.

The two stared at each other for a moment, processing the sight of each other in awkward silence. Likely due to shock, Barry didn't reactively cover his private parts. Unfortunately, that moment of silence ended when Pixie-Bob unconsciously glanced downward.

"AAAAAAAAAGH!"

"AAAAAAAAAGH!"


	42. The Calm Before The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Training Camp continues! Barry and his classmates hone their skills as the week progresses, each getting stronger in their own way. But sinister forces gather on the horizon.

*Yawn*

Derek James stretched out his arms, walking along with the rest of the class out of the lodge. It was a quiet morning, not too many birds chirping. The class followed their teacher Vlad King down a well-defined dirt path, shaded by the trees above.

"Catch them Z's Derek?" said TetsuTetsu.

"Yeah, I usually don't wake up this early is all." said Derek, "I wonder how training's going to go today?"

"I'm not sure, but I bet it'll be rigorous." said Kendo.

"King said something about strengthening our quirks." said Derek, "But how does that work?"

"You know when you exercise too much and tear your muscle fibers, but they grow back thicker and stronger?" said Vlad King, walking them towards a brighter clearing in the woods, "That's what we're doing with your quirks, they're the same idea."

"But we've all got different quirks." said Derek, "How does that work?"

"Well," said Vlad, breaking into the clearing, "you'll just have to break past your own limits!"

*BOOM*

As Class 1-B entered the clearing, they were greeted by a terrifying sight. Most of Class 1-A were in the clearing, using their quirks to an almost torturous degree. The class watched as Bakugo drove his hands into a barrel of boiling water before flinging them towards the sky and unleashing a massive explosion. Shoto stood in a similar barrel, creating a massive influx of ice before melting it all in one go.

The class looked elsewhere, spotting more of Class 1-A. Ojiro assaulted Kirishima with his tail while Kirishima hardened up, taking every strike. Sero was on his knees, emptying a seemingly endless supply of his tape. The screams of Tokoyami echoed out of a dark cave nearby.

"What-What it this?!" said Derek, "This doesn't look like training!"

"Believe it or not, it is." said Vlad King, "We're here to train your quirks and get them up to snuff."

"I see!" said Kendo, "You train each quirk based on its individual use!"

"Correct Kendo," said Vlad, "Though as you can see, It can't just be Aizawa and I training all 42 of you."

"Actually, I was going to ask that question." said Derek, "You guys can't handle all of us at once, so how can you train us?"

"Well," said Vlad King, "We've got some help."

"THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE FOUR PARTS OF A WHOLE!"

"ROCK IN WITH THESE SPARKLING GAZES!"

"We've come from...Somewhere."

"STINGINGLY CUTE AND CATLIKE!"

Four figures leaped from the brush, striking a variety of different poses. It was the Wild Wild Pussycat's! Though they had some other members join in to complete the set. One was a perky lady with long flowing green hair while the other was a massive muscular man. They all wore different colored variants of the same costume, a cat costume complete with ears, paws, a skirt.

"WILD WILD PUSSYCATS!" They all collectively announced.

Class 1-B was taken aback by the sudden appearance, stepping back with wide eyes and mouths.

"Uh, wasn't expecting THAT." said Derek, "Are you guys here to help us?"

"Yup!" said the green-haired hero in a yellow, "I'm Ragdoll, and my quirk is Search! It gives me all the info to know on anyone I lay eyes on, up to 100 people at a time!"

"I'm Pixie-Bob!" said the blonde woman in the blue costume, "My quirk is earthflow! It gives me control over the dirt beneath our feet and lets me create the perfect training environment!"

"My name is Mandalay." said the woman with brown hair and a red costume, "I'm a telepath, so I can give advice to each of you individually or all at once!"

"I'm Tiger." said the man, rocking an orange costume, "I'm here to punch and kick you into shape!"

"That's comforting," Derek remarked sarcastically.

"Power types with me!" announced Tiger.

Derek sat tight as his classmates began to disperse, "Um, Mr. King, sir?"

"Yes?" said King.

"Where am I going?" asked Derek.

"He's with me."

Derek looked to his left, only to find a small ginger boy, kicking the dirt while cracking his knuckles. Derek gave the boy a strange look before turning his attention back to Vlad.

"You can't be serious." said Derek.

"Wally's not training you." said Vlad, "He's taking you to the guy who's training you."

"Oh, got it." said Derek, rubbing the back of his head, "Lead the way buddy!"

"Don't call me buddy, buddy!" said the boy, apparently named Wally.

* * *

Wally started down another forest path, leading Derek downhill.

"So, uh," said Derek, "What's your quirk?"

"Don't have one." said Wally.

"Sorry, didn't mean to be rude." said Derek, "You here because of family?"

"Mandalay's a family friend, she's letting me stay with her for the summer." said Wally, "This is it."

Derek looked forward gazing upon a massive racetrack made from dirt and rock, no doubt a product of Pixie-Bob. Bits and pieces of sticks and leaves stuck out like sore thumbs. Iida ran around the track, keeping a brisk pace while Barry ran on the inside of the track on a treadmill.

"Well, c'mon!" said Wally, "Let's go."

"Pivot!"

A loud screeching filled the air as Iida torqued is feet, screeching to a stop on the track. The smell of burnt rubber filled the air as Jay approached him.

"Nice job, but you're sliding a little too much." said Jay, "Try again, but this time try using your engines to apply more stopping force when you torque your feet."

"Yes sir!" said Iida, Racing around the track again.

"Mr. Garrick, I brought him!"

Jay turned to find Derek and Wally walking up behind him.

"Mr. Garrick, the physics teacher?" said Derek, "He'll teach me?"

"What, is he not good enough for you?" asked Wally.

"No, he's just not what I expected," said Derek.

"Don't worry about it." said Jay, "I've got something special for you. PIVOT!"

Iida slid to a stop once again, this time sliding 5 meters less.

"Good job!" said Jay, "Swap with Barry on the treadmill, set yourself up for a long-distance run, sat 100 KM. Come back to me when you're done."

"Yes sir!" said Iida, jogging toward the treadmill.

Jay faces Derek, "I've got a challenge for you and Barry, whoever wins gets out of the brutal regiment I have set up for them 2 hours early."

Derek's mind flashes back to the brutal training the rest of the class was going through.

_Nope, I've got to win this challenge, for my own body!_

Barry speeds up the track, sliding to a stop in front of Jay. Sweat rolled off his brow as he panted, hands on his knees.

"What's up!" said Barry, "I was just hitting Mach 2."

"Good, cause Mach 5 is next." said Jay.

"What?!" said Barry, "I can't do that, not without breaking into the speed force again!"

"Don't worry Barry," said Jay, "as long as you keep your focus and maintain an anchor, you'll be fine."

Barry took a deep breath, "I...alright! Let's do this!"

As Barry took his stance, Jay sped in front of him, blocking the way.

"Now now, hold your horses!" said Jay, "I wasn't finished."

Barry raised an eyebrow, standing up.

"You see, I thought that Mach 5 would be too easy without an obstacle," said Jay, "so Mr. James will be that obstacle."

"Huh?" said Derek.

"Mr. James, you're job is to prevent Barry from reaching Mach 5." said Jay, "You fail is he reaches his goal, but win if you can bring him to a full stop. Aside from physical assault, everything goes."

"Wait, how does this train my rifts?" asked Derek.

"You're gonna have to make em fast, and make em in numbers." said Jay, "So try it out. The winner gets off training 2 hours early."

As Jay walked off, Barry got in his stance once again while Derek readied his hands, "Sorry Barry, I can't go through that kind of torture for too long."

Barry smirked, "Well, too bad for you."

Barry shot off like a rocket, flying around the track at blazing speeds. Each lap kicked up more and more dust, blinding Derek.

"Oh no you don't!" said Derek, making a rift on the track.

As Barry made the lap, he spotted the rift on the ground.

_He knows I need to run for an unbroken period to gain speed, so he's trying to stop me or slow my momentum. Too bad he can't stop this._

As Barry reached the rift, he made a leap, sailing over the rift and landing on the track again. While he did avoid the trap, his momentum was slowed.

"C'mon!" said Derek, "Guess I'll have to make more obstacles!"

"Bring it on!" shouted Barry.

* * *

As the sun set, Wally brought out a bag of chips coming back to the track to check on the boys.

*Chomp* "How's it going guys!" said Wally,

What Wally saw didn't shock him. Derek stood in the middle of the track, flailing his arms about making as many rifts as possible. Small patches of yellow appeared all over the tracks, but Barry continued to leap over them, never quite going faster than the eye could see.

"Hey guys, you can stop now!" said Wally.

"Yay." said Derek weakly, his hands flopping down to their sides. Oddly, Barry continued making leaps, as if on auto-pilot.

"Barry, YOU CAN STOP NOW!" screamed Wally.

"What?" said Barry, his concentration broken.

Not looking where he was going, Barry tripped on a loose stone, flopping onto the ground and sliding a solid 20 meters on his face. Barry groaned, picking himself up despite being completely covered in mud from the front.

"Did I win? Who won?!" said Barry.

"Nobody, that was the point." said Wally, "Training's over, you guys have to cook dinner for yourselves now."

"What?!" said Derek, "What do you mean it was the point for there not to be a winner?!"

"That challenge was the training, Jay told me himself." said Wally, "Now you should have an easier time making multiple portals, and you should be fairly mobile even in long-distance sprints."

Barry and Derek looked at each other before simultaneously facepalming.

"C'mon, tonight's curry night!" said Wally.

* * *

"Did they start without me?" said Barry.

"Yes, yes they did." said Wally.

Barry watched as the rest of his class milled about the benches outside, carrying pots and pans around in order to cook their food. Ingredients lay spread out across the benches, specifically picked out to make curry.

"Barry!"

Mina strode up to Barry, prepared to wrap him in a hug, but Barry slid backward.

"You don't want to do that Kirishima," said Barry, "As you can see, I'm kinda caked in dirt."

"Oh, right, sorry Barry!" said Mina, "You should probably wash off."

Barry chuckled, "Heh, sounds like a plan!"

Barry sped off into the lodge, leaving Wally and Mina behind.

"Hey, you guys sound like good friends." said Wally.

"Yeah, we are I guess." said Mina.

"You hoping to get closer?" asked Wally.

"W-What?" said Mina, a blush on her face, "Of course, yes."

Mina clamped her hands over her mouth upon realizing she had misspoken, she eyes Wally, who began rubbing his hands together.

"Ooh! Do tell!" said Wally.

* * *

Barry strode into the bathroom, walking right up to the sink. Turning the knob, he watched as the warm water poured from the faucet. Barry cupped the water in his hands, wiping his face to get the mud off. He looked up, observing his now clean face in the mirror.

_Heh, all done._

As Barry finished off by washing his hands, he noticed that the lights began to flicker.

_Eh, probably just a loose wire._

Then the light went out with a *Pop*.

Barry turned around, standing in the darkness for a moment before sighing.

_Guess they need a new electrician._

"Hiya Barry."

The horrible voice of Eobard Thawne invaded Barry's ears, whispering as if he was right behind him. Barry whirled around, throwing a panicked punch behind him and punching a hole in the mirror and the wall.

The lights flickered back on, revealing that Barry was all alone. Sweat rolled off his brow as his breathing became rapid and shallow. Leaning on the wall and sliding down, Barry eyed his fist, now bleeding from the loose mirror shards embedded in his knuckles. He winced, picking them out with his fingers.

_He's not here Barry, you're fine. More importantly, they're fine. He can't..._

Barry took a deep breath, putting his hands over his head.

_He can't hurt us, he can't._

* * *

"Curry's almost ready!" said Iida, "We need those carrots now!"

Mina and Wally stood by the cutting board.

"Where's Barry?" Mina wondered aloud, "He went to the bathroom to wash off, he hasn't come out."

*Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop*

Mina turned around, only to find that Barry had snuck behind him and already chopped every single carrot.

"Wow!" said Mina, "50 carrots in 5 seconds? That's a new record!"

"Yeah, I guess it is." said Barry, his voice was monotone and unenthusiastic.

"Woah, what's wrong Barry?" said Mina, "You sounded really excited before."

"I uh, something came up." said Barry, "Eat without me, I want to be alone for a while."

"Barry? Are you ok?" said Mina, "Maybe you should eat with us, it'll be fun!"

"I...sorry Mina, I just don't feel it." said Barry, "I'll see you guys later."

"Oh," said Mina, a little dejected, "Ok."

Barry turned around and strode into the forest, leaving Mina and Wally behind.

"Is he usually like this?" asked Wally.

"No, he wasn't like this before the summer break." said Mina, "He's been so much more distant than before, I have no idea why."

"Why do you like him?" asked Wally.

Mina blushed, looking away.

"You don't have to tell me if you're not comfortable." said Wally.

"No, it's just that," Mina stopped, struggling to find the words, "He's gone through so much, you don't realize that, I don't even realize that. But despite those things, he chooses to be a hero, to push past those things and be a better person today than he was yesterday. That's why I like him. He makes me feel like I can do anything."

Wally smiled, "That's a beautiful reason to love a person."

Mina blushed once more, "T-Thanks."

* * *

Barry walked through the woods at a leisurely pace, making his way down a less-traveled mountain path, heading upwards towards a peak. He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing in frustration.

"Barry?"

Barry looked up, almost running into Midoriya of all people.

"Midoriya?" said Barry, "It's kinda late, what are you doing out here?"

"I saw Kota come out here alone, he looked hungry so I brought him some Curry." said Midoriya, "He seemed a little lonely."

"Oh," said Barry, "I heard about what happened to him, it really sucks."

"Yeah, I just wish I could do more to help." said Midoriya, "Well, I'm going to bed! Enjoy your walk!"

Midoriya walked on, leaving Barry to walk ahead. As he continued his stroll, Thawne's words echoed in his mind.

_I'm gonna make you suffer Barry, but you won't be the only person who gets hurt._

"I don't understand," Barry thought aloud, "What would drive someone to hate another person so much."

Barry looked up at the moon as he made it to an outcropping over the valley. Walking to the edge, he took a seat.

"What are you doing here?" said an angry voice.

Barry turned around, finding a little boy in a red baseball cap.

"Oh, you're Kota, right?" said Barry.

"Who are you supposed to be?" said Kota, "Actually, nevermind, I don't care. You heroes are all the same. Get out of my secret base!"

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were here." said Barry, "I'll leave you alone."

Barry got up, dusting himself off before walking towards the woods. Just as he took a step onto the dirt, he stopped himself. He didn't know why he felt compelled to stay, but he just couldn't leave the boy alone.

"Hey," said Barry, "wait just a sec."

"What?" pouted Kota.

"I...I just wanted to say, I know what you're going through." said Barry, "You've lost two people very dear to you and the world doesn't make sense anymore."

"Oh it makes perfect sense," said Kota, "you heroes fight villains, kill each other for no good reason just to show off!"

"That's not true." said Barry, "It's more complicated than that."

"Grown-ups just say that so they don't have to justify what they're doing." said Kota, "My mom and dad died trying to show off against a villain and look where that got them."

Kota turned away from Barry, "I heard my aunt saying that it was a good death, whatever that means. I hear everybody talk about how honorable it was for them to die that way. But it just seems stupid and pointless. I hate them for it!"

Barry was shocked, unable to reply. It wasn't just the fact that Kota's answer held so much anger, so much grief. It was that Barry, in a way, agreed.

"Kota," said Barry, "You're right."

"Huh?" said Kota, clearly not expecting that answer.

"Kota, there's no such thing as a good death, an honorable death. Only good lives." said Barry, "My mom led a good life until she was murdered when I was ten. After that, I was bitter. I couldn't move forward. I spent years dwelling on it, trying to figure out what happened, who did it. But last year, I realized something."

Kota turned towards Barry.

"You can't let stuff like that dictate your life." said Barry, "It's not healthy."

Kota frowned, turning away again, "Go away, I want to be alone."

Barry had a sad look on his face, preparing to reach out to Kota. However, just before he touched his shoulder, he realized that the wound was still too fresh. Kota was young, he still needed to grieve.

"I'm sorry, I'll go now." said Barry, turning to leave.

Taking a few steps, Barry's foot touched something on the ground. Looking down, He spotted a plate of Curry.

"I see Midoriya brought you curry." said Barry, "You should eat it while it's hot."

"I said go away." said Kota.

Barry looked back with heavy eyes before sighing, strolling down the hill.

"You see the lodge?"

"Oh I see it, it's gonna be kindling tomorrow night!"

* * *

Far away, on a mountain top over the valley, a gang of villains camped. Somewhere League mainstays, like Dabi and Toga. Others were newer recruits, such as a hooded man wearing clamps on his mouth and a boy in a gas mask. Closer to the edge sat the Rogues, all huddled around a fire.

"You guys are the Rogues, right?"

Snart, Rory, Jin, Jesse, and Mardon all looked up from the fire, finding themselves being approached by Owen Mercer, the new Captain Boomerang.

"Mind if I sit down?" asked Mercer.

"Do whatever you want kid." said Snart.

Mercer smiled, taking a seat by the fire. His costume was fairly functional, jeans and a leather jacket lined with boomerangs.

"So...what does it take to join the Rogues?" asked Mercer.

"It takes 5 grueling years of training." said Jesse, "Plus a hazing ritual."

"Jesse's just pulling your leg." said Rory, "You're welcome to join if you want to."

"I...I do." said Mercer.

"Why?" asked Mardon, "You're already in the league, what makes us special?"

"You guys want the Flash." said Mercer, "The Flash put my dad away, I want payback."

Snart nodded, "That's good enough reason if I do say so myself. But know this, we here at the Rogues have rules."

"I'll follow them to the letter." said Mercer, "Just tell me what they are."

"For our hunt, we've got 2 rules." said Snart, "One, when one of us gets the Flash, you don't keep him to yourself, you let everybody here take a shot at him. Rule number 2, no Rogue, under any circumstance, gets left behind. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir." said Mercer, "No way in hell he can handle all of us."

"Especially since I'm helping too."

The Rogues all stand up as a new villain enters the light, dressed in a yellow costume with a red lightning bolt insignia on the chest.

"You're the hooded guy, I can tell from your voice." said Snart, "Who're you supposed to be?"

"Call me **Reverse-Flash**." said Thawne, "I've got beef with the Flash, just like the rest of you."

"What, want to join the club?" asked Rory.

"No, but thanks for the offer." said Thawne, walking over to the edge of the mountain. Peering over the valley, Thawne eyed the lodge, "You know, they aren't expecting us."

"Hell yeah," said Jin, "Gives us more time to find Flash."

"We aren't just here for Flash, even if it is important." said Thawne, "We're here to send a message, and when they see it, they'll all be **running scared**."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm extremely thankful for all the kudos I've been getting, thanks a million guys!


	43. Think Fast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doom on the horizon! As Barry continues to sink into his own anxiety, his classmates begin to notice his sour mood. Hoping to cheer him up, Midoriya decides to have a talk with him. Unbeknownst to them all, danger lurks just beyond the treeline.

*Thud**Thud**Thud**Thud**Thud**Thud**Thud*

Barry's fists pounded against the trunk of a tree at super speed, wearing away the bark. Bits of the bark flaked off, falling to the ground as Barry continued his onslaught. It was day 3 of the training camp, and everyone was working hard as ever back in the forest.

"Making any progress Barry?"

Barry stopped, turning around to find Jay observing him with arms crossed.

"The bark is gone," said Barry, "but the inner trunk is really dense."

Barry rubbed his knuckles, which were bruised to hell and a little torn up.

"Well," said Jay, "what if I told you that you could punch a hole in that tree in one move."

Barry's eyes widened, "We can do that?!"

"Yes we certainly can!" said Jay, walking up to the tree, "Look at Kirishima."

Barry turned his gaze to Kirishima, who was currently taking hits from Ojiro and his tail. The tail struck Kirishima hard, forcing him back, but he remained firm in his stance.

"What you were doing is great for quickly wearing down an opponent's guard." said Jay, "Throw enough punches at that speed and you're bound to get a hit in."

Jay laid his hand on the tree, "But it doesn't work against people like Kirishima. If your opponent is super strong or durable, it's gonna be nothing but taps to them."

Jay took a step back, clenching his hand into a fist, "So you gotta get creative."

Jay vibrated his fist, taking a moment to find the right frequency before swinging at the tree. His fist blows through the trunk, like a knife through hot butter but faster and messier. Without a foundation, the tree falls over, landing on its side. Barry watched the entire thing unfold in awe.

"What. Was. THAT?!" said Barry.

"I learned this trick from you believe it or not." said Jay, "You called it the infinite mass punch."

"I-Infinite?!" said Barry, "Wouldn't that cause a black hole?"

"It would, and we're certainly capable of such." said Jay, "But in reality, I vibrated the molecules of my fist to a certain frequency in order to increase its density and mass."

"Thereby making your fist heavier than it really is!" said Barry, "And when swung at such speeds you could destroy practically anything!"

"Exactly!" said Jay, clapping.

"Just one question." said Barry, "Why is it called the infinite mass punch?"

Jay put his hand to his chin, "I'm not actually sure, though from what I know your dimensional counterpart probably named it that because it was cool."

Both Jay and Barry shared a chuckle, "Alright Barry, practice that for a while. I'll be back after checking if Iida is overheating his engines correctly."

Jay walked away, leaving Barry on his own. Looking around, Barry spotted a boulder roughly his size. Walking towards it, Barry began to vibrate his fist.

_These moves, they'll help if Thawne attacks._

Barry stopped himself in front of the boulder.

_If he wants to hurt us, he'll have to get through ME!_

Barry punched the boulder with all his might, cracking it in half. He watched as the two halves came apart, falling to separate ends. Barry brought his fist up to his face, observing it.

_Look at me, I'm getting stronger by the second!_

Despite the show of strength, Barry frowned.

_So why am I still so worried?_

* * *

"Alright everyone!" shouted Iida, "We've been tasked with making stew, so let's go all the way and make it a PLUS ULTRA STEW!"

The students had gathered outside at the cooking area to once again cook their own food, this time the meal was stew. Barry stirred the pot, making sure not to go too fast so that he wouldn't turn the ingredients to mush.

"I've got the carrots!" said Kaminari, dropping the carrots into the stew.

"Here's the meat!" said Kirishima, dropping the meat into the stew.

"Potatoes are here!" said Yaoyorozu, dropping the potatoes into the stew.

Barry continued to stir the pot, not saying a word as his classmates contributed their ingredients. As they returned to their stations, they all noticed Barry's odd change in behaviour. Where he was once a fairly positive and bright boy, was now a silent and perhaps even sullen figure.

"Hey, what's up with Barry?" asked Yaoyorozu, "He appears to be sulking."

"I dunno," said Kaminari, "He's kinda been like that since the start of training."

"He didn't hang out with me all summer too." said Kirishima.

"I've got onions!" said Midoriya, walking over to the pot, "Hey Barry."

Barry didn't respond, absentmindedly stirring.

"Barry?" said Midoriya, noticing the frown on his face, "Barry!"

"Huh?!" yelped Barry, who was jolted from his trance, "Sorry Midoriya, put em in!"

Midoriya gave Barry an odd look before putting in the onions and leaving Barry to stir them in.

* * *

"Stew's almost done!" said Barry, who took the spoon out in order to let it simmer. Placing the spoon next to the pot, Barry prepared to leave when he heard the crunch of a leaf behind him.

_No._

Whirling around, he came face to face with-

"Wally?!" said Barry.

Sure enough, Wally had snuck over to the pot with two bowls in hand. Luckily, Barry had caught him before he could make of with the stew.

"Trying to get some early?" said Barry, "And having two bowls no less."

"No!" said Wally, "One bowl is for Kota."

"Oh." said Barry.

"Yeah, he went off to his secret hideout again." said Wally, "I'm just taking some stew since he didn't eat dinner."

Barry sighed, "Alright, go ahead, it's just about done and the others are already coming over to get their stew."

Wally smiled, nodding as he spooned some stew into the two bowls before carrying them off into the forest. Barry grabbed his own bowl, filling it with stew before speeding over to a nearby tree. Sitting down underneath it, Barry began to wolf down his food as his classmates filled their bellies.

"Hey, Barry?"

Barry looked up from his bowl to find Midoriya, who held his own portion of stew.

"Mind if I sit down?" asked Midoriya.

"No, you're fine I guess." said Barry, going back to eating.

Midoriya sat down next to Barry, taking a bite of the stew, "This is pretty good for non-professional stew."

"It is." said Barry, taking another bite.

Midoriya opened his mouth to say more, but closed it, rethinking his words. After a few moments of silence with the exception of Barry eating, Midoriya began to speak again.

"Barry, is something wrong?" asked Midoriya.

Barry swallowed his food, "What would be wrong?"

"Well," said Midoriya, "the class has been noticing you're not yourself."

"What?" said Barry, "What do you mean not myself?"

"You look a lot less...Happy as of late." said Midoriya, "I've seen you looking around like something bad is gonna happen at any moment."

"I...It's complicated, really complicated." said Barry, "It's better if nobody knows."

"Knows what?" said Midoriya, "Barry if something is troubling you, you can tell me."

Barry put his food down, sighing. Wiping his face, he quickly looked around, making sure nobody was in earshot. After checking, he leaned in closer to Midoriya.

"You can't tell anyone what I say now, especially Kirishima and Mina." said Barry, "Swear! It!"

Midoriya was taken aback by the sudden seriousness in his voice, "I S-Swear not to tell!"

"Do you remember the mall?" asked Barry.

Midoriya's eyes widened, "How could I forget, that was the day I had a face to face with Shigaraki!"

"Well," said Barry, "I met someone that day too."

Midoriya cocked his head, "Who?"

"He said his name was Thawne," said Barry, "He's got some sort of speed quirk just like me."

"Oh," said Midoriya, "Then you two must have gotten along, considering you had something in common."

"Unfortunately, he didn't see it that way." said Barry, "He's convinced I wronged him in the future. He wants to make me suffer."

"F-Future!" yelped Midoriya, causing Barry to shush him.

"I don't know if it's really true, but everything he's said has been pretty accurate." said Barry, "He wants blood and not just mine."

Midoriya had a worried look on his face, "So this Thawne wants to hurt you? He's gonna have a tough time doing that since you're one of the strongest people I know!"

"You weren't there Midoriya." said Barry, "He's fast, way faster than me. He could have killed me then and there, but he wanted me alive so he could put me through the wringer."

Midoriya's eyes widened, "So that's why you've been like this. You're afraid of what he's gonna do next."

"Not just that." said Barry, "He specifically mentioned my friends. That means Mina, Kirishima, you!"

Midoriya processed the words, "So it's not really your own life that you're afraid for, it's ours."

Barry nodded, trying to hide the panic in his voice, "It feels like he's watching me, watching all of us, ready to hit us when it hurts the most."

Midoriya thought for a moment before standing up, "Who are you?"

"What?" said Barry, confused.

"I-I said, w-who are you?" said Midoriya.

"I'm Barry Allen?" said Barry.

"I d-didn't ask for your name," said Midoriya, trying to maintain his confidence, "I s-said, w-who are you?"

Barry looked down, unable to answer, "I-I don't know."

"Wrong, you do know!" said Midoriya, "C-Cause you're the Flash!"

"Huh?" said Barry.

"And I-I'm Deku," said Midoriya, "and Kirishima is Red Riot, and Mina is Pinky!"

Barry was even more confused, "Those are our hero names."

"Exactly!" said Midoriya, "We're heroes! we overcome any challenge! It's what we do!"

Midoriya reached out his hand to Barry, "No matter how tough this Thawne is, we can take him down together, PLUS ULTRA!"

Barry stared at Midoriya, completely in awe.

"Heh," said Barry, "Midoriya, you'd make one hell of a number one hero with those speeches."

Midoriya began to blush as Barry took his hand and let him help him up, "I-I would?"

"Well, yeah!" said Barry, "Cause I'm feeling way less nervous now!"

Midoriya smiled, "T-Thanks Barry."

For a moment, Midoriya looked conflicted. Barry had been a good friend since they first met at the entrance exams, and he'd been through the USJ attack and the Sports Tournament with him. He was just as important as Iida, as Bakugo, as Todoroki, as Uraraka. Should he tell Barry his… secret?

"Hey Barry?" said Midoriya, "I-"

"OK!"

Pixie-Bob burst into the meal area with an infectious enthusiasm, "It's time for the test of courage! Everybody follow me!"

"Oh yeah!" said Barry, "I forgot about that, guess being really paranoid does that to you."

"Y-Yeah." said Midoriya, "I guess."

"What were you gonna say just now?" asked Barry, "You got cut off."

"Erm," said Midoriya, "Nothing, nothing at all."

* * *

"Alright, here we are!" said Pixie-Bob.

Pixie-Bob, Mandalay, Ragdoll, and Tiger led the students to a clearing in the woods that was a decent distance from the lodge. It was a starry night, not a cloud in sight. Jay had also arrived late, making sure to supervise.

"Right, Class B will be on the offensive first." said Mandalay, "Class A will head into the forest in teams of two every three minutes. You'll find name cards at the halfway point. Grab your own and head on back here!"

"The scarers aren't allowed to make direct contact," said Pixie-Bob, "so they'll have to use their quirks to scare you as best they can."

"So get creative!" shouted Ragdoll, striking a pose, "Whichever class makes the other wet their pants more wins!"

"Think of it as a teamwork exercise." said Jay, "It'll help out in the long run in addition to being fun!"

"Wait," said Barry, "There are teams of two, but 21 people per class. Wouldn't that leave someone out?"

"The ones who failed their exam aren't going to participate." said Tiger, "Five of 1-A and one of 1-B failed, so the teams are even."

"Oh!" said Barry, "Ok, so how do we determine team-"

"Let's draw lots!" said Ojiro, pulling out a piece of paper and beginning to draw on it.

"Alright, that sounds good!" said Barry.

* * *

"Number 8?" said Barry, who had drawn the paper with said number, "I'm looking for number 8!"

"That's me!" shouted Midoriya, who shuffled over to Barry, "Guess we go last."

"That's fine." said Barry, "Their creativity will have worn thin by then. I doubt they can get us."

***15 minutes later***

*EEEEEK!*

A scream sounded off, audible from the clearing and putting the remaining teams in a state of unease.

"Alright! Next team please!" said Pixie-Bob, gesturing towards the path, "That's you, Ribbit Kitty and Uraraka Kitty!"

"O-Ok." said Uraraka, trembling as both her and Tsuyu are ushered down the path.

"Do you think they'll be ok?" asked Midoriya.

"They'll be fine," said Barry, "I hope, not sure how they're doing the scaring though."

* * *

"Derek, you beautiful genius!" said Kendo.

Derek blushed at the compliment as he closed the rift, watching as the emu he had sent to run across the path went back to his natural habitat. He had holed up with Kendo and Honenuki to scare the opposing class from the bushes off the beaten path. He had just elicited a shriek out of Kyoka and Toru by sending the large bird across their path, knowing its sudden appearance would catch them off guard.

"Really man, that's an amazing tactic!" said Honenuki, "Setting scary animals on them is sure to make them scream!"

"It's less that the animal itself is scary and more that they don't expect something like that here." said Derek, "I was thinking we could drop a spider on the next group, maybe a goliath birdeater?"

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?" asked Kendo.

"If I did my research right, they don't bite humans very often," said Derek, "And even when they do, at worst it's effect is similar to a wasp sting."

"Yeah, but that's still a little harsh," said Kendo, "Maybe another big bird, like an ostrich?"

"Ok!" said Derek, "One ostrich coming up-"

Derek stopped mid-sentence, smelling something strange.

"Hey, do you guys smell something burning?" asked Derek, "I could swear something's burning."

"I can smell it too," said Honenuki, "Maybe Todoroki got so scared his quirk fired … fired off."

Honenuki's words began to trail as his eyes rolled over and his body dropped to the ground like a sack of grain.

"What the?!" said Derek as a purple mist made itself visible, "What's *KAFF* Happening."

Derek began to cough violently, his eyes tearing up as he dropped to his knees. He could feel his insides turning inside out as his coughing became even more violent, spittle flying everywhere.

"What's...going...on?" groaned Derek.

"Don't breathe in!" shouted Kendo, who grew her hand to a massive size before clamping it down over Derek's body, isolating him from the mist, "It's poisonous!"

* * *

A small boy in a gas mask no older than 13 stood in another clearing, purple gas pouring out of his skin pores. Jin stood nearby, bearing another gas mask while levitating a few bullets in the air with his mind.

"Aren't you Rogues supposed to look for this Flash asshole?" said Mustard, "The rest of them are looking for him, but not you?"

"They're taking a more active role," said Jin, "But I'm trying a more passive route. If the Flash tries to stop the gas, I'll be here to take him down. Plus, I'm a guard for an important League of villains member, two birds with one stone."

"Heh, like I needed your protection." said Mustard.

* * *

Uraraka and Tsuyu continued their careful stroll down the path, warily watching each and every angle and bush.

"Uh, do you think any of class 1-B are nearby?" asked Uraraka, "I don't wanna get caught off guard."

"Relax Uraraka," said "Even if they scare us, they can't actually hurt us nor would they."

"Yeah, but unfortunately for you, I'm not your classmate."

The voice was foreign and more mature than the voices of their classmates, causing the girls to freeze.

"Wha-Who was that?!" said Uraraka, clinging to Tsuyu.

"I don't know!" said Tsuyu.

Suddenly, a shiny metal projectile flew out from the woods, embedding itself into the trail in front of the girls.

"Eeeek!" shrieked Uraraka, who jumped back in terror. Tsuyu got in front of Uraraka, putting herself between Uraraka and the projectile as a man in a wool jacket stepped out of the woods. He had boomerangs tucked into a variety of pockets as he grabbed the boomerang and pulled it from the earth.

"W-Who are you?" asked Tsuyu.

"Me?" said the man, "I'm the new Captain Boomerang baby."

* * *

"C'moooooon!" cried Mina, who was dragged along the hallway with the rest of her classmates by Aizawa, "I wanted to do the test of courage too!"

"Remedial lessons are required," said Aizawa, "So no test of courage."

Aizawa walked over to a door that led into a classroom, opening it up to drag the students in. As he closed the door, the students were accosted by-

"Isn't that funny!" said Monoma, "The Stupendous Class 1-A produced five whole failures while Class B had only 1!"

"Rrrh!" grumbled Kirishima, "You're lucky Kendo and Derek aren't around!"

"Ha, those two traitors can get a room!" said Monoma.

As the class sat down, Aizawa approached Vlad, who was also sitting tight, "I was thinking about adding a physical portion to this remedial session, how's that to you?"

"Sounds good, I was thinking the same thing," said Vlad.

"FLASH! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!"

The room was startled by the sudden screaming, glancing about trying to find the source.

"What the hell, is that screaming?" said Sero.

"Did he say the Flash, isn't that Barry's hero name?" said Kaminari.

"It sounded almost like..." said Mina, trying to place the oddly familiar voice.

"Huh?" said Monoma, glancing out the window, "Hey, there's a man outside screaming nonsense."

Mina looked outside, only to lay her eyes on a heavily burned man.

"Oh no," said Mina.

"Oh no?" said Monoma, "What? Is a member of the prestigious class 1-A afraid of some random-"

*BOOM*

A fiery explosion blows the windows and the walls to the outside wide open, sending everyone off their feet and seats. As the smoke cleared, the man walked through the opening, his arms on fire. The students stumbled back in fear.

"Alright, here's the deal!" said the man, "One of you tells me where the Flash is and I don't barbeque the lot of you!"

* * *

"Is that...Smoke?" said Barry, gazing at some trees in the distance.

Iida walked forward, realigning his glasses, "It appears so, yes."

"That's odd," said Midoriya, "is it a forest fire?"

"I've forest fires before, we had them a lot outside of Central City." said Barry, "But they never happened at night."

"Alright!" said Pixie-Bob, "Who's ne-"

Suddenly, Pixie-Bob's body floats into the air before flying backwards to the surprise of everyone. Just as she's about to fly into the woods, two figures leap out of the underbrush, one slamming a massive magnet into Pixie-Bob's head and pinning her to the ground.

"These pets are in the way." said the figure with the magnet, a transgender woman in casual clothing. The other figure, a lizard man in ninja gear, smiled before drawing a sword.

The rest of the class stumbled back, realizing in terror who had just invaded the valley.

"W-Why are there villains here!" shrieked Mineta.

Barry narrowed his eyes, taking a step back, "Stay away from her!"

"Allen, wait!" shouted Mandalay, but Barry ignored her.

Barry burst forward, racing past the heroes and charging for the villains.

_If I hit them with two infinite mass punches, they'll be out in no time!_

"Hola Flash." said a Spanish voice.

Just as Barry is about to reach the villains, a bolt of lightning appears out of nowhere, striking the ground and blowing him backward. Tumbling onto his back, Barry gets to his feet.

_That voice!_

Barry looks up, laying eyes on a familiar villain.

"WEATHER WIZARD?!" shouted Barry, "But you were in jail, with the rest of the Rogues!"

Weather Wizard smirked, flying through the air via an air current carrying pebbles, hail, and lightning.

"You know this man Allen?" said Iida.

"How does he know your name?!" asked Ojiro.

"I helped put him away during my work-study," said Barry, "But he was in jail, and so were his partners."

"I hate to disappoint Amigo," said Weather Wizard, "But we're free, the ones who are alive anyway."

Barry cocked his eye, "What does that mean?"

"It doesn't matter." said Weather Wizard, "The League of Villains is here to capture or kill a bunch of you according to some kind of list."

Barry tightened his fist, "Whatever they've got planned, I'll stop them!"

"That's going to be difficult considering the Rogues aren't just here for that." said Weather Wizard, his voice turning to pure venom, "No, We're here **Just. For. You.** "


	44. Rogue's Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Villains attack! The Rogues have come for Barry Allen, but he won't go down without a fight! But first, he needs to save those who cannot defend themselves.

Barry's eyes widened upon hearing Weather Wizard's words. He could feel his heart sink as his fists tightened.

"You're different." said Barry, "Where's your wand?"

"Wand?" said Mineta, "What? Was he a magician?"

"No, it was a gadget." said Barry, "It let him control his own localized version of a weather system. He could call down lightning or hail or any kind of natural disaster. He used it because he was quirkless."

"But he doesn't appear to have it on hand." said Iida.

"You kids catch on fast." said Weather Wizard, still levitating in the air, "Flash, you remember the particle accelerator?"

Barry's eyes widened, "The dark matter wave, it gave the Rogue's powers!"

"Look at you, oh Bright one." said Weather Wizard, "You've figured out how I'm gonna take you apart!"

Barry stood his ground.

_The rest of the Rogues, they must be here too. Looking for me to boot. They might try to hurt the others in order to figure out my location._

"Not if we can help it!" shouted Tiger, making his hands into a fist, "You won't succeed this day, foul villain!"

"Barry, don't fight him, we have this!" said Mandalay.

"I'll take them back to the lodge!" said Jay, "Be quick kids!"

"Come and try!" shouted Weather Wizard, lobbing another lightning bolt at Barry. Since he saw it coming, Barry leaped back, avoiding the blast.

"Barry!" said Midoriya, running up behind Barry, "Something's wrong!"

"What?!" said Barry, "Do you think there are other villains?"

"I do!" said Midoriya, "I'm worried about Kota!"

Barry's eyes widened, "Wally left to bring him food. They might be in danger!"

Midoriya nodded, "You're the fastest one here. If we split off, we can get them to safety quick."

Barry nodded, "You're right, we need to make sure everyone's safe. I'll tell Jay."

As Mandalay and Tiger attacked the villains, Jay organized the students into a line.

"Alright!" said Jay, "Let's get back to the lodge!"

"Jay!" said Barry, sliding to a stop, "Kota and Wally are still out there, Midoriya and I are going to take them to safety!"

Jay turned to Barry, "No way, it's too dangerous and you're just a student. Tell me where they are and I'll get them!"

"Not to sound like a jerk," said Barry, "But I'll get there faster and directions are hard to give in the forest."

Jay looked hesitant.

"Please Jay," said Barry, "trust me."

Jay sighed, "Be safe Barry. Don't you dare get hurt."

"Will do!" said Barry, determined. Barry raced back to Midoriya, grabbing him.

"We're clear." said Barry, "Hold on tight!"

Midoriya nodded as Barry whisked them both away using his super speed.

* * *

Captain Boomerang encircled Uraraka and Tsuyu, sizing them up while tossing the boomerang up in the air.

"C-Captain Boomerang?" said Uraraka, "Isn't he in jail?"

"Yeah, my dad is in jail." said Captain Boomerang, "And someone has to pay for it!"

"He was your father?!" said Tsuyu, "That must have been hard."

"Not really, he was kind to me." said Captain Boomerang, "I won't extend that feeling to the Flash."

"So that's what you're after." said Tsuyu, "Revenge."

"Yup, simple as that." said Captain Boomerang, "You two are probably in his class, so I'll ask you, where is he?"

"We won't tell you." said Uraraka, "Not in a million years!"

"Ok," said Captain Boomerang, "I asked nicely, but she won't."

"She?" said Tsuyu, only to hear wicked giggling from behind her in the trees. Suddenly, a figure leaped out of the bushes, brandishing a massive knife.

"BLEED!" shouted the figure!

* * *

"I'm not the only one finding this awkward, Right?" said Derek.

"Derek, you'll make a great hero someday." said Kendo, "But making light of a situation like this is no making it any better."

Kendo trudged through the forest, one arm over her mouth while the other enlarged hand held both Honenuki and Derek.

"I'm just saying," said Derek, "Getting squeezed by your sweaty hand is wrong in all the worst and best ways."

Kendo blushed, "The gas is making you a little crazy."

"Maybe, or is it your beautiful eyes." said Derek.

"You can't see my eyes." said Kendo.

"I don't need to," said Derek, "I just need to think about them."

Kendo blushed more, tightening her fist.

"Stop squeezing so tight!" said Derek, "It's getting hard to breath."

"Unless you wanna breathe the gas and fall unconscious, I'll keep my hand tight thank you very much." said Kendo.

"Kendo!" said a new voice.

Kendo turned to find two of her classmates emerge from the brush. Tetsutetsu walked over to her while carrying Ibara. They both wore gas masks.

"Tetsutetsu! Ibara!" said Kendo, "Where did you get the masks?!"

"Class 1-A's Yaoyorozu made it for us as we were passing by!" said Tetsutetsu, "Awase is leading her to the lodge!"

Tetsutetsu turned around, showing Kendo the gas masks on his belt, "Here, take some!"

"Thank god!" said Kendo, dropping Derek and Honenuki to grab a mask. Slipping it on, Kendo passed a mask to Derek, who began to cough heavily again. Grabbing his mask, Derek jammed it onto his face, breathing in relief at the clean air.

"Oh man," said Derek, "Clean air at last!"

"Good, now let's get back to camp." said Kendo.

"No way!" said Tetsutetsu, "You guys take our classmates back to camp, I'm gonna fight!"

"What?!" said Derek, "But we shouldn't engage, these guys are seasoned villains as far as I can tell, I don't want us to bite off more than we can chew!"

"Derek's right." said Kendo, "We can't fight them, it's against the rules as well!"

Tetsutetsu stared at Kendo and Derek, "Listen, I know you both take part in knocking Monoma down whenever he puts Class 1-A down, but he's got a point. We passed the same tests, yet they're held up higher than us. Why, because they were confronted by Crisis'!"

"What?!" said Derek.

"They've taken every challenge thrown at them and turned them into opportunities, why shouldn't we be doing the same?" said Tetsutetsu, "So don't try to stop me, because I'm Tetsutetsu of the hero course and if I don't stand up for this, I don't know who I am anymore."

Kendo could only stare at Tetsutetsu while Derek sighed, walking over to Ibara and Honenuki's bodies.

"Y-You're right Tetsutetsu," said Kendo, "We should take this opportunity to take the fight to the villains."

Tetsutetsu nodded, "Right on!"

Kendo turned to Derek, "Derek, take the others back to the-"

Kendo paused when she saw Derek kneeling and closing a rift, Honenuki, and Ibara nowhere to be seen. Standing up, Derek walked over to Kendo and Tetsutetsu, "They're safe, there's no way I'm being left behind on this one."

Kendo and Tetsutetsu smiled underneath the mask as Derek cracked his knuckles, "Lead the way, leadhead."

* * *

Fire crackled from Heatwave's fingertips as he began to blow fire around the classroom, intimidating the students.

"C'mon, where's the Flash?!" said Heatwave, "Spill it!"

Aizawa stepped forward, activating his quirk, "I'll give you 5 seconds to surrender."

"Hah!" said Heatwave, "At least someone spoke up! Time to die!"

Heatwave raised his hand, blasting a ball of flame directly at Aizawa. Aizawa's eyes widened as he leaped out of the way.

"Careful Aizawa!" said Vlad, jumping in, "Use your quirk!"

"I did!" said Aizawa, "It didn't affect him. He might be a nomu!"

"I've never seen a nomu speak!" said Vlad.

"He's a villain from a group called the rogues!" said Mina, "Barry and I fought them during our work-study together, but he used a weapon! He never had a quirk!"

"Well guess what sister, I do now!" said Heatwave, firing another volley of blasts. The fireballs go everywhere, forcing everyone in the room to dive for cover. Holes in the wall are made as Heatwave advances.

"None of you are gonna squeal?" said Heatwave, "Then I guess it's best just to cook ya!"

"Not on my watch!" said Vlad, leaping at Heatwave from the side. Heatwave raised his hand to burn Vlad, but he was too fast, grabbing Heatwave's arm and pointing it upward, resulting in a stream of flame blowing a hole in the ceiling. Pinning Heatwave to the ground, Vlad turned to the students, "Is everyone alright?"

"I'm good!" said Kirishima, "Man, this guy is scary, did you really fight him Mina?"

"Yeah, he is pretty intimidating." said Mina, "But we got him!"

"Heh, nice to know I'm feared." said Heatwave.

"Quiet you!" said Vlad, pushing Heatwaves head down, "It was foolish for you to come alone."

Heatwave smirked, "Who said I came alone?"

"Yippee!" said a voice from above.

A man dressed in outrageous clothing dropped through the hole in the ceiling, kicking Vlad off of Heatwave before grabbing Monoma and pressing a razor sharp jack against his neck.

"GAH!" screamed Monoma.

"Guess who's back!" said the man.

"Trickster!" said Mina, "Not you too?!"

"Yes!" said Trickster, "I'm here too! And so are the rest of the rogues, the ones who are alive anyway!"

"Alive?" said Aizawa, "Did some of you die?"

"Yeah, and it's the Flash's fault!" said Heatwave, "Lisa and Scudder are dead because the little runt put up a fight."

Mina's eyes widened, "W-Wait, they're dead?!"

"Mina," said Kirishima, "What is he talking about?!"

"I-I don't know!" said Mina, "All I know is we have to make sure they don't hurt anyone, even Monoma!"

"Hah!" said Monoma, "I'll just use my Copy to escape!"

Monoma strained his body, trying to use some sort of quirk that he would have copied. However, nothing happens, and all he does is give himself a headache.

"I don't know what copy is." said Trickster, "But it's hard when you have no quirk to copy."

Monoma gulped as Heatwave walked forward, "Last chance, Where is the Flash?!"

"Go to hell!" said Kirishima.

Heatwave raised his hands, "YOU FIRST!"

* * *

As the smoke rose and the forest fire raged on, Wally and Kota watched from their little spot high above the valley.

"Oh man," said Wally, "this looks bad."

Kota couldn't speak, he was frozen in fear.

Wally looked at Kota, reading the terrified look on his face, "Hey, why don't we get back to the lodge, it's safe there."

Grabbing Kota, Wally began to lead him towards the path.

*Thud!*

A massive cloaked figure landed in front of Wally and Kota, casting a menacingly large shadow over both of them.

"I came up here for the view and what do I find?" said the figure, clearly a man, "Two faces that aren't on the list."

Wally's heart jumped out of his chest as he grabbed Kota and put himself between the two of them, "Kota, stay behind me!"

"That's a slick hat you got there kid." said the man, eyeing Kota's hat, "Why don'tcha trade it with me for this lame mask. I'm new to the operation so I have to wear this dumb toy."

Wally gulped, "Uh, counteroffer! I give you my shirt, you can do whatever you want with the mask, and you let us go. Deal?"

"Heh, you idiot!" said the man, "I'm joking, I'm actually gonna paint the cliffside with your body!"

Wally's eyes widened, "Kota, RUN!"

Wally broke out into a sprint away from the man, pulling Kota along with him. The man chuckled to himself before leaping after them, pulling off the mask to reveal a man with a heavily scarred eye.

_That face!_

Wally recognized the man all too well, for he was the one who killed Kota's parents. The man raised his fist, ready to pulverize both of them. Wally closed his eyes, hoping Kota was out of the way.

*Woosh!*

A flash of lightning yellow and green lightning fills the air as Barry and Midoriya leap out of the trees, grabbing Wally and Kota respectively before taking them out of range of the man's monstrous attack.

*BOOM*

The man slams his fist into the ground, creating a shockwave that sends Midoriya and Kota towards the edge of the cliff while Barry and Wally are sent towards the woods.

"Guh!" groaned Barry, holding Wally in his arms, "Are you ok Wally?"

Wally coughed, getting dust out of his throat, "I'm fine, is Kota ok?"

Barry got on his feet and looked past the villain, spotting Midoriya getting in front of Kota.

"He is, but not for long!" said Barry, "Stay here, I'm gonna help Midoriya!"

As the villain approached Midoriya, Barry leaped on his back, rapidly punching him in the back of the skull. Instead of hurting him, all it seemed to do was annoy him, evidenced by how nonchalantly the villain grabbed Barry off his back.

"Quit screwing around!" said the villain, tossing Barry back towards the woods.

"Barry!" said Midoriya, "Take Wally to safety!"

"Not without you!" shouted Barry, "I just have to-"

*CRACK!*

Barry is startled when the sound of ice cracking becomes audible from behind. Looking back, Barry sees that a wall of ice had formed, blocking him from escaping.

"What the hell?!" said Barry.

It was then that Wally pointed his finger behind Barry, "Look out!"

Barry turned back just in time to catch a fist encased in ice to the jaw, making a satisfying *KRAK* when it landed. Hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes, Barry was dazed, tasting blood in his mouth.

"You're in for a world of hurt Flash." said a familiar voice.

Barry looked up, his eyes landing on Captain Cold. His costume was different, as he ripped off the sleeves and frost ran all the way up his arms.

"You know what they say." said Captain Cold, cracking his knuckles "Revenge is a dish best served **COLD**!"


	45. The Frozen Fury Of Captain Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showdown! As members of Class 1-B move to neutralize the perpetrator of the gas attack, Barry has a one on one with Captain Cold. The two clash in a desperate battle of ideals.

"Uh, guys?" said Derek, "Is it just me or is the gas getting thicker?"

The trio of Derek, Kendo, and Tetsutetsu marched through the forest, moving towards a singular destination.

The source of the gas.

"Derek's right," said Kendo, "It is getting thicker."

"What do you think that means?" asked Derek.

"My guess is the gas is swirling around some origin point like a typhoon." said Kendo.

"Like a hurricane?" said Derek, "So there's somebody in the eye of the storm, controlling this whole thing."

"Exactly!" said Kendo.

"Then we must be getting close!" said Tetsutetsu, "Let's go! Double time!"

"Hold up!" said Derek, "We should figure out what the plan is."

"Yeah, the plan is to go in there and MESS THEM UP!" shouted Tetsutetsu, "They won't know what hit them!"

"Yeah, I get that that's what you want!" said Derek, "But I think I would be a little more comfortable if we had a plan with specifics."

"It's difficult to make a plan when you don't know exactly who you're facing, or how many we're facing." said Kendo, "We'll have to think on our feet."

"I-I guess," said Derek, "I just don't want us to jump headlong into a fight we can't win."

"Derek," said Kendo, turning towards Derek with a determined look on her face, "are you a hero?"

"I...no, not yet." said Derek.

"I'll ask again," said Kendo, "are you a hero?"

Derek thought for a moment, "I'm trying my hardest to be."

"Then keep trying," said Kendo, "because we're trying our hardest too. Whatever's out there, we'll face it."

Derek nodded, "Thanks Kendo, you're a great hero already."

Kendo chuckled, blushing under her mask, "Heh, thank's Derek, even if it's a little oversold."

"I don't think it's oversold." said Derek, "Really, you lead Class 1-B, you lift everyone else up, especially me."

Kendo could only keep her gaze away from Derek, "I...Thanks."

"Hey guys!" said Tetsutetsu, "I think I see something!"

The trio entered a clearing where the gas was thickest. In the middle, Derek could make out a small figure.

"You think that's him?" said Derek, "The guy making the smoke?"

"He's at the center of the gas production site," said Kendo, "He's got to be."

"So let's take him out!" shouted Tetsutetsu, breaking into a sprint towards the figure while armoring up.

"Wait!" shouted Derek, "We don't know what we're up against!"

"Don't worry, I got this!" shouted Tetsutetsu.

Carving a path through the gas, Tetsutetsu broke into the eye, coming face to face with a small boy in a gas mask.

"Gotcha!" said Tetsutetsu, preparing a punch.

"Not really." said the boy.

Just as Tetsutetsu threw the punch, his fist stopped short of the boy's head. Derek and Kendo followed Tetsutetsu in, stopping behind him.

"Tetsutetsu!" said Kendo, "What are you waiting for?!"

"I can't move my body!" shouted Tetsutetsu before his arms and legs jerked back, "AAAAAAAGH!"

"Hehehehe!" said another voice, "You brought metal against me? That's my best matchup!"

Jin emerged from the gas, holding his hand up open-palmed. He wore a gas mask and was flanked by bits of metal scrap that floated through the air.

"As much as I wish I was fighting the Flash," said Jin, "you guys will make for suitable practice."

"The Flash?" said Derek, "What the hell do you want with Barry?"

"Shouldn't you be more worried about yourselves?" asked Jin, "especially the tin man here."

Jin shifted his hand, causing Tetsutetsu to float into the air while his body contorted even more.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH?!" screamed Tetsutetsu.

"Let him go!" shouted Kendo.

"Or what?!" asked Jin.

"You're the only combat-ready person here." said Derek, "We have you outnumbered."

"Think again," said Jin, "Mustard?"

*Click*

Derek's eyes darted to the boy, who had pulled out a revolver and pointed it at Kendo, "Say goodnight!"

*BANG!*

Derek's eyes widened as the boy fired the gun. He screamed, "KENDO!" before diving in front of her, taking the bullet.

"DEREK!" screamed Kendo.

* * *

"Captain Cold." said Barry, still on the ground.

Snart stood menacingly over Barry, taking note that the other villain had begun to engage Midoriya.

"I rotted away in that cell for a while Flash." said Snart, staring Barry down, "And let me tell you, in all that time, I never forgot who put me there in the first place."

Barry stumbled to his feet, tightening his hands into fists, "I don't care about your posturing, I'll do it again."

"REALLY?!" snarled Snart, "Then let's make it a challenge!"

Snart slammed his open-palmed hands on the ground, creating a massive outflux of frost. Barry shields his eyes, making sure not to get any ice in his eyes. As the frost dispersed from the open air, Barry opened his eyes, finding that Cold had encased them both in a small cube of ice. It was barely big enough for the two to exist in, with only enough room to stretch.

"Ever heard of a cage match Flash?" said Snart, "Well, this is the idea."

Snart stepped forward, readying a frost-covered punch. Barry moved back to dodge the strike, but quickly found himself hitting the wall behind him immediately. Snart struck him with a nasty right hook before following it up with a left punch to the gut. Doubling over, Barry couldn't react as Snart grabbed him by the shirt and threw him into another side of the ice cube, slamming against it and getting dazed further.

"You're at your best when you're moving around." said Snart, "So I gave us an arena where you can't move around at all."

Barry braced himself as Snart kicked him in the side, cracking a rib.

"AGH!" exhaled Barry, getting the wind knocked out of him.

"How's it feel Flash?!" shouted Snart, "How does karma taste?!"

Barry clutched his side.

_He was right to box me in, I can't fight him in a tight space like this. I gotta break out._

Barry made a fist.

_Luckily, I've got just the right answer._

"I don't know what you mean by Karma," said Flash, "but as far as I know, the only one deserving of it is you Cold."

Snart's nostrils flared as he recoated his arms in frost, "You bastard, you're gonna paint me the villain after what YOU DID?!"

"As far as I'm concerned Cold," said Barry, vibrating his fist, "All I did was put you and your buddies away!"

Barry punched the ground with his infinite mass punch, creating a shockwave of force that knocks Snart off his feet and blows the whole ice cube wide open. Pieces of ice fly everywhere as Wally steps back in amazement.

"WOAH!" shouted Wally, "WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"Infinite mass punch!" said Barry, "Learned it just today."

Snart scrambled back to his feet, cracking his knuckles, "Nice trick, but now I know you have it."

Barry stepped forward, "Surrender Cold, there's nothing to steal here."

"Weren't you listening?!" shouted Cold, "I'm not here to steal anything, I'm here to avenge someone!"

"What could that possibly have to do with me?!" shouted Barry.

"You should know!" shouted Snart, "You should know my sister died because of you!"

The words hit Barry harder than he expected, mainly since none of the Rogues ramblings thus far made any sense. Who were they avenging? Why were they after him. It all made sense now.

"Barry?" said Wally nervously, "What's he talking about?!"

"Cold, I didn't kill Glider." said Barry, "She was alive last I saw her."

"She died in the hospital because of her injuries." said Snart, "Which she wouldn't have gotten if you just let us go."

"I couldn't do that." said Barry, "You put innocent lives in danger, you had to face justice."

"I don't care about justice!" shouted Snart, "I cared about my sister, and now she's dead!"

Barry stepped back, shaking his head in denial. Even though Lisa Snart was a criminal, even though she put people in danger, Barry never meant for her to die.

"I-I'm sorry Cold." said Barry.

"Sorry isn't enough!" shouted Snart, "I won't stop until I drive a spike through your eyeballs!"

Barry took a deep breath, getting into a running stance, "There are people I care about, people who depend on me. I can't let you do that Cold."

Snart took a battle stance, "Good, keeping it a struggle will make this all the more satisfying."

The two stared each other down before charging each other, yelling battle cries.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Shouted Snart.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAH!" shouted Barry.

Just as the two were about to meet, a massive explosion of force decimated the cliff face, it's epicenter the battle between Midoriya and the other villain. Seeing the shockwave of the explosion coming in slow motion, Barry swapped course, making a beeline for Wally. Snart noticed the explosion too, beginning to create a wall of ice to shield himself. Barry ran up to Wally, who had a terrified look on his face.

_He's scared, I should have run him and Kota out while I had the chance._

Scooping Wally up, Barry spotted Snart completing his shield of ice. Racing over as the shockwave began to reach them, Barry pushed Snart out from behind the shield, taking his place. Snart shouted in blind rage as the shockwave reached the shield, blowing Snart away as Barry and Wally his behind the wall.

*WOOSH*

As the shockwave ended, Barry put Wally down, who shook in terror.

"W-What just happened?!" asked Wally, "I thought I was a goner."

"Don't worry, you're safe now." said Barry, "I'm gonna check on Midoriya."

Racing over to the crater to the explosion, Barry spotted Midoriya pulling Kota back from the edge of the cliff as well as a hole in the cliff where the villain presumably went after the explosion. Kota shook in Midoriya's arms as Barry approached them.

"Need help?" asked Barry.

"No, I have him!" said Midoriya, "We should go!"

"Agreed, I'll round up Wally," said Barry, "follow me!"

Midoriya nodded as Barry raced back over to Wally, "They're ok, but we need to move."

Wally nodded, "Yeah, I don't want to be out here anymore."

Barry nodded, grabbing Wally by the hand, "Then let's-"

*Rumble*

The rocks on the cliffside shifted as the muscular villain from before emerged from the whole, looking good as new. Midoriya's eyes widened as he began to run for Barry and Wally, the villain right behind him.

"BARRY!" shouted Midoriya, "GET US OUT OF HERE!"

"I'm coming!" shouted Barry, getting into a running stance.

"YOU AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE!"

Snart tackled Barry from behind, running him towards the cliffside.

"NO!" shouted Wally, grabbing Snart by the coat. Instead of slowing him down, Wally was only dragged along.

"Wally!" shouted Barry, attempting to free himself, "DON'T-"

But it was too late. Snart leaped gritted his teeth as he, Barry, and Wally all went off the cliffside. They began to plummet, all falling together. Snart lifted his foot, kicking Wally in the face and causing him to separate from him and Barry.

"BASTARD!" shouted Barry, who swung his head back before headbutting Snart. The sheer force of the strike breaks Snart's goggles in two, causing him to let go of Barry and push him away. Barry began to fall farther away from the cliff while Snart fell towards it. Noticing this, Snart outstretched his arms, freezing the side of the cliff and creating a slide of sorts. Barry fell towards the treeline, but his mind was elsewhere.

"WALLY!" shouted Barry, "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"HERE!" shouted Wally.

Looking towards Wally's voice, Barry saw him falling closer to the cliff than to the trees.

"I'm gonna soften your landing!" shouted Barry.

"How?!" shouted Wally.

Stretching out his arms and rotating them rapidly, Barry created a gust of wind that formed a miniature tornado. Sending the tornado Wally's way, Barry watched as Wally's descent began to slow.

_Good, he won't get hurt, now to stop my own fa-_

*Crash!*

Barry hit the tree line, crashing through the branches. He grunted as he hit each branch, the thorns cutting his clothing and skin. After falling under the branches, Barry lands on a boulder with a sickening *CRACK!*.

*HUGH!* grunted Barry, sliding off the rock and tumbling onto the ground. He could taste the blood in his mouth again as he bit his tongue.

_Ow, rough landing._

"Barry!"

Barry looked up to find Wally running towards him, stumbling to his side.

"Barry, are you ok?!" said Wally, "You dumbass, you almost got yourself killed, why didn't you break your fall?!"

"I had to break yours first," said Barry.

Wally stepped back, a tear beginning to form in his eye. He sniffled wiping it away, "I-I'm sorry for being a burden."

"You're not a burden." said Barry, "Trust me when I say tha-"

Barry's eyes widened as he stopped midspeech, spotting a massive shockwave of ice coming for him. Grabbing Wally, Barry dived behind a tree, watching as the blast covered everything in ice.

"FLASH!" shouted Snart, "COME TO ME! LET'S END THIS!"

Barry peeked his head out, spotting Snart storming into the forest. Looking back at Wally, Barry frowned.

"Wally," said Barry, "Run and don't look back."

"W-What?!" said Wally, "I won't leave you!"

"I can't say I did my job as a hero unless you get to safety now." said Barry, "Trust me, I'll be ok."

Wally began to tear up, tackling Barry with a hug. Barry's eyes widened, surprised by the sudden hug, but he returned it in kind.

"You better come back!" said Wally, separating from Barry.

"I will," said Barry, pointing towards the lodge, "Now go!"

Wally nodded, running off deeper into the forest while Barry cracked his neck.

"You want me Cold?" said Barry, jumping out from cover, "YOU GET ME!"

Snart roared, sending another blast of ice Barry's way. Barry dodged to the side, darting between trees as Snart continued to lay down the assault.

"That's right, prolong the chase!" shouted Snart, "It'll only make victory sweeter!"

"Cold, SHUT UP!" shouted Barry, "I'm tired of you trying to tell me how right you are!"

"And I'm tired of you doing the same!" shouted Snart, sending another blast Barry's way. Barry dodged out of the way, this time sliding under the blast before charging Snart. Barry raised his fist, vibrating it and ready to take Snart down in one shot. Snart stepped back, his arms at his sides and his eyes widening as Barry flew at him at top speed.

_He's off guard!_

Just as Barry reached Snart, Snart smirked, his right hand opening towards Barry. Barry's eyes widened as a massive blast of ice enveloped him, turning his whole vision white.

*SHOOM*

Opening his eyes, Barry realized he was now encased in ice. Snart chuckled, wiping blood off his chin. He could see the man without the costume, the goggles, the hood. His face was bruised, especially around the nose where Barry had headbutted him. He even had a nosebleed.

"Heh, you put up a good fight Flash." said Snart, "But there's a good reason you lost."

Snart stepped back, creating a small spike the size of a butter knife. He held his hand back before tossing the spike, watching it puncture the ice and Barry's flesh in one swift move.

*AGH!* screamed Barry.

"Your whole deal is moving fast, but I'm all about slowing stuff down." said Snart, creating another small spike, "Or stopping it entirely."

Snart threw the second spike, hitting Barry again and getting another scream out of him.

"AGH!"

"But oddly enough, it isn't the power set." said Snart, making another spike, "It's about conviction, the desire to win on behalf of your beliefs."

Snart repeated the process, causing Barry to scream again.

"AGH!"

"You wanted justice for people you don't know." said Snart, "The wacko ideals of a so-called superhero, while I just wanted to escape. That's why I lost last time."

Another spike, another scream.

"AGH!"

"But this time, my reason is different," said Snart, "I'm fighting to avenge my sister, my family."

Snart then formed a larger, longer spike before walking over to Barry, "That's how I won today because unlike mine, your ideals are bogus."

Snart lifted the spike, it's tip poised for Barry's eye, "Goodbye Flash."

"NO!"

A frozen branch wacks Snart over the back of the head, eliciting a snarl from him as he whirled around, finding Wally behind him.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" shouted Wally.

Fuming, Snart grabbed Wally by the throat, lifting him into the air, "YOU WANNA DIE FIRST? I'M HAPPY TO OBLIGE!"

_NO!_

Barry shook, unable to bear the weight of another loss on his shoulders. Even though he knew how painful it would be, Barry vibrated his molecules. His atoms screamed in pain as his skin split, blood bursting from the seams as lightning exploded the ice from the inside with a deafening *KRAKAKAKOOOOOOOOM*

The lightning lashed outward, striking and destroying different trees and rocks around Barry. One lightning Bolt hits Snart's staff, blowing it up and knocking him off balance. Another lightning bolt hits Wally, though it doesn't do anything beyond knocking him off his feet. Barry jumps out of his former prison, eyeing the still off-balance Snart.

_Hit him hard, hit him fast!_

Barry raced towards Snart, who raised his arms and began to construct a shield of ice. Barry began to vibrate his fists.

_Too weak to punch through, but what if?_

Barry continued to vibrate his hands, only this time he opened them, making flat palms. Just as he reached Cold, Barry slammed his hands together in a subsonic clap.

*KRAKAKOOOOOOM*

What followed was a deafening Clap that completely shattered Snart's shield. Snart stood up straight, arms falling to the sides. His eyes were wide open in shock as his ears began to bleed. Leaning back, Snart fell onto his back in a splayed out manner. Barry, bleeding practically everywhere and bruised to all hell, looked at Snart's unconscious form, pondering the vengeful criminal's motives, his ideals. To only care for and protect your own instead of everyone.

"You said something about Ideals Snart, that the person with stronger ones wins?" said Barry, "I think you were right, cause I'm the one still standing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't leave many of these on AO3, but I just wanted to say this is one of my favorite chapters to write yet. I loved how the fight turned out and hope you guys liked it too!


	46. Eye Of The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night continues! As individual skirmishes continue, Barry and Midoriya start a new course of action to save Bakugo. The battle at the lodge continues as Trickster and Heatwave prepare for battle while Kendo and Derek must fight their way out of a tough situation.

Barry stared at Cold's unconscious form lying in the dirt amidst the broken ice and tree branches. Despite the fact that the man in front of him had tried to murder him, he still felt a pang of guilt over what happened to him, to lose a loved one like that.

"B-Barry?!" yelped Wally, stumbling over to Barry as he fell to his knees. Barry's breathing became shallow as he checked himself, noting all the cuts and bruises across his whole body. His shirt was torn to shreds from the molecular vibration, leaving him practically bare-chested and drenched in his own blood.

"Ugh," groaned Barry.

"Does it hurt?!" asked Wally.

Barry managed a painful chuckle, "I don't know? Does it?"

"Don't joke about this!" said Wally, who looked supremely worried, "You're really hurt."

"I know, I'm sorry." said Barry, who stumbled to his feet, leaning side to side due to lack of balance, "I-I also have to say thank you."

Wally could only stare in bewilderment, "What? Why? I put myself in danger."

"You're distraction saved my life." said Barry, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

Barry managed a painful smile, striking a pose while pointing at Wally with both fingers, "You'd make a great hero someday, and that's a Flash Fact!"

A sudden rush of pain hit Barry's head, causing him to lurch over and cough up some blood. Wally gasped, running over to pat Barry's back.

"Did you make that up on the spot?" said Wally.

"Yup!" coughed Barry, blood trickling down his lip.

"You can't possibly go on like this." said Wally, "You need a doctor!"

"Enhanced healing from the Speed Force will keep me on my feet." said Barry, stumbling towards a mountain path upward, "Besides, the night is far from over, and there are more Rogues to take down."

Wally's eyes widened as he began to chase after Barry, "No, no way, you can't be serious?!"

"That's what a hero is Wally," said Barry, "A person who gives their all for the good of everyone else. The Rogues want me, they'll get me alright."

"Barry." said Wally, "Please, you can't."

"I have to." said Barry, "I wouldn't be a hero otherwise."

Unbeknownst to Wally, there was another reason Barry wanted to confront the rogues. The news of Golden Glider's death had shocked Barry, though he hadn't quite felt it yet. The fact that he had even the most indirect hand in someone's death shook him to his core. He labored onward, hoping to make amends somehow, be it his own suffering or that of the Rogues. Whatever happened next, he would allow no-one to die.

"That big guy on the cliff," said Barry, "I have to help Midoriya take him out."

"He's 5 times your size!" said Wally, "And again, your skin is barely keeping you together!"

"I have to try," said Barry, "I can't let Midoriya die-"

*BOOOOOOOOOM*

A huge explosion rocks the ground as rocks and debris fall from the cliffside. Barry and Wally look up simultaneously, noting that the explosion came from their previous location with Midoriya.

"Oh no!" said Barry, scooping up Wally in his arms and racing up the mountain. Trees and rocks became blurs as he flew up the trail.

_Please don't be hurt please don't be hurt please!_

As the trail he followed broke into the cliffside, Barry slid to a stop. Placing Wally down, he came to a sight that was both comforting and terrifying.

Midoriya stood over the unconscious form of the muscular villain from before, who was now buried under a pile of rubble. The young hero looked busted and blue all over, now lacking a shirt and bruised in almost every patch of the skin. Kota stood to the side, watching in shock.

"Midoriya!" said Barry, racing to Midoriya, "What happened to you?!"

"I….I beat him!" said Midoriya, not taking his eyes off the villain, "Did you beat the other guy."

"Yeah," groaned Barry, "but he's the first of many."

"First of many?" said Midoriya, turning to Barry, "What are you-"

Midoriya's eyes widened when he laid his eyes on Barry's broken form.

"B-Barry!" yelped Midoriya, "You need a doctor!"

"I'll get a doctor after the night is over, when everyone is safe." said Barry, "First we need to get Wally and Kota to the lodge, they'll be safe there."

"We're right here!" said Wally.

Kota said nothing, still silent in shock.

"Then, I'm going to go looking for the Rogues." said Barry.

"W-What?!" said Midoriya, "Barry, we aren't supposed to fight these guys, We only fought as is because it was fight or die! We can't go looking for the villains to take them down!"

"You don't understand," said Barry, "They're here for me!"

"I know they're here for you!" said Midoriya, "The Weather villain said so!"

"It's not just that!" said Barry, "There used to be more of them. When I was helping put them away, one of them got hurt really bad. They never told me what happened, but she died of her injuries."

Midoriya gasped, "So they've come to blame you and want their revenge."

"Yes," said Barry, "I can't let them do this, They're going to hurt other people in order to try and find me. I can't let that happen"

"Barry," said Midoriya, "You make it sound like you were the one who killed her."

Barry looked on at Midoriya with heavy eyes, "Midoriya, I complicated things during the fight, I might as well have killed her."

Midoriya was shocked, taking a step back, "Y-You don't mean that."

"I do," said Barry, "but I can't pity myself. I have to make sure others don't pay for my actions. I'm going to stop the Rogues."

Midoriya's shallow breath slowed as he looked around, his eyes darting between Wally, Kota, and Barry, "The Rogues aren't the only danger."

"I understand that." said Barry, "If I see the other villains along the way, I'll stop them too."

"No, it's not just that." said Midoriya, "That list they were talking about, kill or capture, Kacchan is at the top."

"Bakugo?!" said Barry, "But, why would he be-"

"I don't know!" said Midoriya, "But all I know is I don't want him to fall into their hands. Once I get Kota to safety, I'm going to find him."

Barry took a second to process the words, nodding.

"I-I see." said Barry, "So while the Rogues are here just for me, the rest of the villains are working off an entirely different rule and skill set."

"Exactly, we can't get tunnel vision." said Midoriya, "So here's what I propose, We work together."

"How so?" asked Barry.

"After we get Wally and Kota to safety, we comb the forest together." said Midoriya, "We search for Bakugo, rescuing any classmates we find. If they're in the clutches of a villain or Rogue, we save them then run away."

Barry didn't know how he felt about Midoriya's proposition. While it would mean that their friends would be safe, he would rather have the Rogues taken down in order to make the whole situation less dangerous.

"I-ok." said Barry, "Your idea is safer, let's do it."

Midoriya nodded, scooping Kota onto his back as Barry walked to Wally.

"This is a terrible idea." said Wally, "You're asking for it."

"Maybe, but if I have a chance to help," said Barry, "I have to take it."

Wally clearly didn't approve, even if he did somewhat understand. With a heavy sigh, Wally let Barry scoop him up in his arms before both Midoriya and Barry raced off for the lodge.

* * *

The Standoff in the lodge continued as Trickster pressed his razor-sharp jack against Monoma's neck. Heatwave's ignited his hands, ready to wreak havoc as Aizawa and Vlad prepared themselves for combat. Aizawa gripped his scarf tightly while Vlad raised his fists.

"I'm gonna ask one more time," said Heatwave, "Where's the Flash?"

"We don't know!" said Mina, "But even if we did, we wouldn't tell you!"

"Big mistake," said Heatwave, raising his hand towards Mina, "See, if none of you talk, then Trickster opens the little bastard's throat."

"LEADER OF CLASS 1-B TO YOU FOUL VILLAIN!" shouted Monoma, only to have Trickster pull a gag out of his pocket with his free hand, stuffing it into his mouth, "Mph MPH!"

"Shut the hell up kid," said Trickster, "Your rambling is pissing me off."

Monoma struggled against Trickster as the jack pressed harder against his neck, "This is getting us nowhere, Heatwave. They don't know anything."

Heatwave grinned, "Guess that means we just cook em."

Heatwave raised his fist, flames already licking his arms as he aimed his blast at Kirishima, who toughened up in response.

"I can still make stone into Magma buddy," said Heatwave, "You're doing nothing but delaying the ine-"

Before Heatwave could finish, Vlad King dived at the villain, activating his quirk. Blood flooded from Vlad's gauntlets, flying through the air like tendrils. The tendrils quickly ensnared Heatwave's arms, completely covering his fists in a solid mound of blood. Heatwave panicked as Vlad attempts to ensnare the rest of his body, causing him to create an explosion with his fists on reaction.

*BOOM*

The explosion knocks everyone off balance, including Trickster, who's grip on Monoma loosened. Taking the opportunity, Monoma pushed Trickster's arm away from his neck, freeing himself and allowing him to scramble out of his grip.

"Goddamn rat!" yelped Trickster.

Aizawa leaped forward, tossing his scarf at Trickster and wrapping him up. Trickster smirked, sliding another jack from his sleeve and cutting himself free of the scarf.

"Ha!" said Trickster, "You thought you had me? Not in a million-"

*BONK*

A sound not dissimilar to a gong rang in everyone's ears as a familiar tin hat came spinning out of the woods, conking Trickster in the back of the head before falling towards the ground. Jay sped out of the woods, catching the hat before twirling it in his hand as he put it back on. Trickster's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell face-first onto the ground.

"Garrick!" said Vlad, "Perfect timing!"

"I try to keep up in my old age." said Jay, "But as of late it's been getting damn difficult to do so!"

"Mr. Garrick!" shouted Iida, who led Mineta, Ojiro, and Koda out of the woods, "What's going on, is everyone-"

"Safe?" said Jay, who scanned the room, "Yes, nobody was harmed, so you can rest easy chum."

"Thank you Mr. Garrick!" said Iida, "What next?!"

Aizawa approached Jay, grabbing his shoulder, "I'll get them, you stay with Vlad and fortify the lodge, make sure no villains harm them."

Jay nodded, "Make sure they get back safe."

Aizawa took off running, leaving Jay and the rest of the class behind. As he broke into the forest, he felt a strange tug on his scarf.

"Hmm?" said Aizawa, pulling the end of his scarf up. It was the Jack that Trickster used to cut himself free. Aizawa grabbed the jack and stuffed it in his pocket, "Can't let anyone step on that."

"Sensei!"

Aizawa's eyes darted to his left as Barry and Midoriya leaped out of the woods with Kota and Wally in tow. Both of the students were in poor shape, bruised and bleeding in many places.

"Aizawa!" said Barry, "We got Wally and Kota here, but there are more of our classmates out there!"

"Wait, slow down." said Aizawa.

"We need you to take Kota and Wally back to the lodge." said Midoriya, "Then we're going to get out remaining classmates back to the lodge. We also have to tell Mandalay something important."

"I said slow down." said Aizawa.

"Here," said Midoriya, placing Kota on the ground while Barry did the same, "We'll meet back up with you soon."

"BOYS!" shouted Aizawa, causing them both to become silent, "You're both hurt."

Midoriya looked down at his broken arms while Barry did his best to hide the cuts on his chest, "We had a run in with villains, it was fight or flight."

"Exactly," said Aizawa, "I'll take them both to the lodge, but you have to tell Mandalay to send the message that fighting back is ok."

Barry's eyes widened, realizing what was going on, "Y-Yes sir!"

"Good, now go!" shouted Aizawa, prompting Barry and Midoriya to nod before turning around and racing towards the clearing from before.

"Are they gonna be ok?" asked Kota as Aizawa picked him up.

"I taught them well," said Aizawa, "they can handle whatever's coming."

"Are you sure?" asked Wally.

Aizawa turned his gaze to Wally, "Positive."

* * *

"Derek, don't you dare die on me!" said Kendo.

Kendo hid behind a tree as gunfire continued to rattle off, the bullets hitting the tree and sending bits of bark everywhere. Derek laid next to her, having been dragged from his original position.

"Ugh." groaned Derek, holding his stomach, "I'm not dead am I?"

"No, thank god you aren't." said Kendo, "Are you hurt?"

Derek felt the blood dripping out of his abdomen on his fingers, but kept it hidden from Kendo, "No, I'm fine, I managed to rift the bullet out of the way." lied Derek.

"Ok, good." said Kendo, peeking her head out of cover to see if the villains were approaching.

*BANG*

Kendo ducked back into cover as a bullet hit the tree, barely missing her gas mask, "We're pinned down and they still have Tetsutetsu, I think the one producing the gas might have a side effect on his quirk that lets him know where we are in his gas?"

Derek dragged himself to a kneeling position, careful not to let Kendo see the blood that was beginning to streak down his hand, "If he can accurately find us, then sneaking up is practically impossible unless I rift."

"But what about Tetsutetsu," said Kendo, "He could die at any moment if we don't hit that Jin guy first."

Derek shifted uncomfortably, "I have an idea, but you'll have to wait till I strike first."

"What's the plan?" asked Kendo.

Derek stared at Kendo in silence, prompting her to turn around.

"Derek?" said Kendo.

"I need you to know two things." said Derek.

"O-Ok?" said Kendo.

"First, I've had a crush on you since the Sports Festival." said Derek.

"W-WHAT?" said Kendo, her eyes widening as she responded in utter shock.

"Second, I lied about the bullet and I'm actually bleeding out right now," said Derek, "But we can worry about that later."

"WHAT!" shouted Kendo, this response laced with worry.

"Strike on my signal OK BYE!" said Derek, diving out of cover while swinging his free arm and creating a rift. Derek could here Kendo's shouting as he dived into the rift.

_Man, that was a dick move Derek. Dick move._

* * *

Mustard loaded another bullet into his gun, pulling back the hammer before aiming it towards Kendo's tree.

"You hit anyone yet?" asked Jin.

"I think I hit the other guy," said Mustard, "How about you actually do something."

"This metal guy is hard to handle." said Jin, "He's squirmy, it's taking all I have to hold him in the air."

Tetsutetsu struggled against Jin's magnetic powers, holding his breath the whole time.

"I don't know how he's still conscious." said Jin, "The guy won't just go down."

"Maybe it's because he's actually got grit, unlike you two dirtbags."

Derek's voice came from the gas, putting both Jin and Mustard in a state of unease.

"Wow, you use a gun?" said Derek, "I haven't seen one of those in a few millennium."

Mustard tensed nervously as Jin said, "Shoot that cocky bastard."

Mustard searched through the gas until he sensed Derek's figure. Aiming his gun, Mustard smirked under the mask, "Got you no-"

Suddenly, Mustard pulled back, aiming his gun in the opposite direction, "Wait, how did you-"

Then Mustard aimed his gun at another spot 90 degrees to his right, "What?!"

"What the hell are you doing?!" shouted Jin, "Just shoot him!"

"I can't!" said Mustard, "He's popping up in one place than another. It's like he's everywhere!"

"Not everywhere," said Derek, "Just where I need to be!"

Mustard's eyes widened, "BEHIND YOU JIN!"

Jin whirled around just in time for Derek to crack him on the jaw. He watched as Jin stumbled back a few feet, right into Tetsutetsu's path as he plummeted to the ground. Tetsutetsu landed on Jin, flattening him and shattering his gas mask. As Jin attempts to turn on his back, Tetsutetsu brings his fist down on Jin, knocking him out with a satisfying *KRAK*

"Hah!" yelled Tetsutetsu, "Who's weak now."

"NO!" shouted Mustard, aiming his gun at Tetsutetsu, "I still have the gun, I can still win!"

Derek surged forward as Mustard opened fire, watching the bullets whiz past him. A couple hit Derek's body, opening new wounds but instead of stumbling, he surges forward at an even faster rate, fueled by adrenaline.

"RAH!" shouted Derek, tackling Mustard and picking him up.

"NO, PUT ME DOWN!" shouted Mustard.

"Just cause you had the gun doesn't mean you automatically win the fight!" shouted Derek, "Cause when it comes to fighting,"

Mustard sensed another presence rapidly approaching, looking to find Kendo barreling towards them with both fists raised towards the sky, "IT'S ALL ABOUT GRIT!"

Derek threw Mustard onto the ground in front of him, watching as Kendo slammed her fists down on Mustard with a satisfying *BOOM*, cratering the villain. Kendo lifted her fists, laying her eyes on the broken body of Mustard, who laid in the crater in a splayed out manner. Kendo looked up towards Derek.

"Derek?" said Kendo.

"What?" said Derek before he felt something pouring down his stomach. Looking down at his chest, he counted three bullet holes all oozing blood.

"Oh yeah, bullet holes." said Derek before he fell backward, blacking out as Kendo screamed his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I considered making this chapter shorter but came up with a pretty great outline for the rest of the arc that didn't allow that. Most of this chapter was dialogue, but I had a lot of fun writing the Sideways/Mustard fight. It's not as good as Cold V Flash, but it's something. There are gonna be some more great battles coming up, plus Thawne's origin (Which will be a two-parter with both chapters planned to be fairly long). I can't wait to write the next chapter!


	47. Reverse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hurricane Mardon! The Weather Wizard unleashes his full wrath as Barry and Midoriya attempt to stop him. Meanwhile, REVERSE-FLASH makes his first appearance.

Barry and Midoriya raced through the forest, leaping over stones and roots on their way to the site of the test of courage. The duo could hear the fight still going on as fists clashed and metal gnashed.

"We're almost there!" said Barry.

"Do you think they'll be ok?" asked Midoriya.

"Only one way to find out!" said Barry.

Bursting into the clearing, Barry and Midoriya came just in time to witness Tiger wrangle Weather Wizard in his arms.

"Hijo de la chingada!" Shouted Weather Wizard as Tiger wrapped his arms around the villain's body, restraining him.

"Your friend is down for the count!" said Tiger, "You foul villains never stood a chance!"

On the other side of the clearing, Mandalay leaped back, dodging a slice from the lizard villains sword.

"You damn sham!" said the villain, "BE A GOOD GIRL AND GET PURGED."

Barry didn't even have to look at his friend to know what they would do next. They leaped out of the woods together, Midoriya taking the lead. As the villain raised his swords to strike at Mandalay, Midoriya blazed by feet first, shattering the swords as he leaped overhead to the shock of both Mandalay and the villain.

"WHAT?!" shouted the villain.

"Mandalay!" shouted Midoriya, "Kota's safe!"

Barry blazed by Mandalay at top speed, fist at the ready, "And so is Wally!"

The villain turned around just in time to get clocked in the jaw by Barry, losing consciousness instantaneously as he hit the ground.

"Holy-" yelped Mandalay, "You kids came in fast."

"We did!" said Barry, "But Aizawa wants you to tell everyone something using your telepathy."

"What is it?!" asked Mandalay.

Midoriya jumped forward, "He wants everyone in class A and B to know that it's ok to fight back!"

"Are you sure?" asked Mandalay, "This could mean bad things for him if the situation turns sourer!"

"In addition," said Barry, "They have a kill or capture list and Bakugo's at the top!"

Mandalay shuddered at the news, "I'll tell everyone right away!"

Barry took a deep breath, walking over to Midoriya, "What now?"

"What now is you DIE Flash!" Shouted Weather Wizard.

"Be silent villain!" shouted Tiger, tightening his grip on Weather Wizard.

"No," said Barry, "Let him speak."

Weather Wizard struggled in Tiger's arms and Barry walked up to him.

"Heh, want a one on one fight Flash?" asked Weather Wizard.

"No, I came to say I'm sorry." said Barry.

Weather Wizards initial expression of anger softened, being replaced by confusion.

"What?" said Weather Wizard.

"I didn't realize Golden Glider had died." said Barry, "If I could have done anything to differently, anything to make sure nobody got hurt, I would have."

Weather Wizard didn't respond, a sad look on his face.

"I don't want anyone else getting hurt." said Barry, "Please, tell me where the rest of the Rogues are. This doesn't have to end badly for anyone."

Weather Wizard sighed, shaking his head, "You know, we never really found out what happened to Scudder."

It was Barry's turn to be confused, "What?"

"Mirror Master, he was another one of us." said Weather Wizard, "After he got sucked into the mirror, we didn't know what to think."

Weather Wizard tensed his hands, "It took me a while, but I finally came to terms with the fact that just like Glider, he was dead."

The clearing began to feel more intense, the air gaining an almost static quality, "And just like with Glider, It's ALL YOUR FAULT!"

*BOOM*

Weather Wizard roared as a bolt of lightning struck Tiger, causing an explosion that blows everyone back.

"ARGH!" screamed Tiger, letting go of Weather Wizard as he's shocked. His pliabody quirk keeps the lightning from killing him, he still sustains extremely damaging burns.

"Tiger!" shouted Mandalay, rushing to drag Tiger away from the villain.

"You know what pisses me off the most?!" shouted Weather Wizard, who began to float into the air, "That you actually thought you could trick me into thinking that you cared."

"I do care!" shouted Barry, "But right now, you're trying to hurt my friends. I can't let that happen!"

"There it is!" shouted Weather Wizard, "I knew you weren't genuine!"

Barry tightened his fists while Midoriya jumped in next to him, "I beat Captain Cold, I can beat you too."

While the statement was meant to deter Weather Wizard, it had the opposite effect.

"Of course you would say that, gloat about your victory." said Weather Wizard, "And considering that lodge isn't going up in smoke right now, I have to assume Rory and Jesse failed too. That leaves just me and the newbies."

Midoriya stepped forward, "We won't let you hurt anyone else!"

"Oh don't worry." said Weather Wizard, "I won't just hurt anyone else."

Weather Wizard took a deep breath as he raises his arms to the sky. The wind in the valley began to pick up, quickly becoming strong enough to stagger Barry and Midoriya.

Weather Wizard closed his fists as branches and rocks began to get picked up by the wind, "I'm going to hurt everyone."

* * *

"Hey everyone!" said Mina, "Sensei's back!"

Aizawa burst into the lodge clearing, carrying Kota and being followed closely by Wally.

"How are the villains?" asked Aizawa.

Jay smiled, pointing to Heatwave and Trickster, who were tied up together back to back, "Their snug as a bug in a rug!"

"I'm not a child Garrick," said Aiwawa, "I don't need the rhymes."

"Sorry," said Jay, rubbing the back of his head, "I thought it might defuse the situation a little."

"Hey guys?" said Kirishima, "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" asked Mineta, "All I feel is what's in my pants."

Mina shot a glare at Mineta before the wind began to pick up sticks on the ground, "I feel it too."

"The wind is picking up!" said Iida, "Everybody! Be on the lookout for flying debris. Even a small rock can injure you."

"Uh," said Kaminari, staring out into the valley, "I think we've got a lot more to worry about."

The students followed his gaze, their eyes landing on the cause of the wind.

"Good lord!" said Jay, "It's a-"

* * *

"TORNADO!" shouted Midoriya, who wrapped his legs around a tree stump as to not get carried away. Barry was in a similar situation, gripping the same trunk with all his might. Midoriya winced, his arms still busted from his fight with Muscular.

"Where are Tiger and Mandalay?!" asked Midoriya.

"I think they got out!" said Barry, "I last saw them running towards the lodge."

Midoriya nodded, "Barry, was he ever this powerful?!"

"No, his wand was never this potent!" said Barry, "His powers feel so much more unrestrained."

"If he keeps this up, he could rip apart the valley!" shouted Midoriya, "We can't let him move away from the clearing."

Barry thought for a moment, "I think I have an idea."

"What is it?" asked Midoriya.

"If I can run in a circular manner opposite to the tornado, I could create a counter vortex to cancel out his tornado." said Barry, "Stay here, let me handle this."

"Barry wait!" shouted Midoriya, but it was too late.

Barry let go of the tree, breaking into a run so that he wouldn't get picked up by the tornado. He began to run around the tornado, trying to create his own vortex. As he picked up speed, the tornado began to slow down.

_It's working! Just a few more-_

*BOOM!*

A lightning bolt struck Barry in the back, breaking his run entirely. He fell, tumbling onto his back as the tornado began to pick up speed again.

_NO! Damnit I was so close!_

"HAHAHA!" shouted Weather Wizard, "Trying to cancel out my Tornado with your own? Good luck!"

Barry gritted his teeth, getting on his hands and feet again.

_Don't let him stop you. You can do this!_

He began his sprint again, picking up speed and wind again. It was only a few seconds before the next *BOOM*.

"AGH!" screamed Barry, tumbling once again.

"HA!" shouted Weather Wizard, "Definition of Insanity Flash. Definition of Insanity."

Barry wiped the dirt out of his eyes, getting on his hands and feet once more.

_Try Try Try Again._

Midoriya could only watch helplessly as Barry failed to generate enough speed over and over again. Watching him fail repeatedly both impressed Midoriya and made him feel awful for not helping.

_I have to do something! But how do I tip the scales in a fight like this? I'd be crushed immediately._

Looking up into the tornado, Midoriya's eyes widened as he spotted Weather Wizard in the storm.

_There he is! If I could get a hit on him, he would be too distracted to prevent Barry from canceling the tornado._

Midoriya took a look at his own arms.

_But I already used up my arms fighting that villain. I don't know if I can reach the ground safely if I do this._

Midoriya took a look at Barry, who tumbled once more after being struck by lightning. He watched as the beaten and bloodied Barry refused to bend, getting up to try again.

_No, I have to risk it. For everyone!_

Midoriya took a deep breath.

_Here goes nothing!_

Midoriya released his grip on the tree with his legs, letting the wind carry him up into the air. He began to spin around Weather Wizard in the storm, the violent wind threatening to tear him apart.

_URK! Hurts a lot, but I can't think about that._

Midoriya spotted an uprooted tree flying around the tornado, coming right at him.

_Here's my chance!_

Midoriya angled himself feet first towards the tree as it flew towards him. As the two collided and Midoriya landed on the tree, he bent his knees, waiting until he was pointed towards Weather Wizard.

_NOW!_

Midoriya leaped towards Weather Wizard with enough force to shatter the tree underneath his feet. As he flew towards Weather Wizard, he angled his foot towards the villain.

_TAKE THIS!_

*POW!*

Midoriya kicked the villain in the side of the head just as he's about to strike Barry again, effectively knocking him out of the air.

"AGH!" shouted Weather Wizard, dazed.

Barry surged forward, running as fast as he could.

"RAAAAAH!" shouted Barry as he finally created enough of a draft to make his own counter-vortex. The two tornados clashed, imploding on each other with massive *THOOM*.

Dust blows away from the clearing as Barry looked up, creating a night sky only filled with falling trees, rocks, branches, and-

"MIDORIYA!" shouted Barry.

Midoriya's eyes widened as he realized that without the updraft of the tornado, he had begun to plummet to his death.

"HAHAHAHA!"

Midoriya spotted Weather Wizard beneath him, laughing it up.

"See that kid? You stood against me!" said Weather Wizard, "Now you're gonna die!"

While the mocking comments were meant to put more fear in Midoriya's heart, they did nothing but light a fire in him. Angling himself towards Weather Wizard, Midoriya aimed both his feet at the villain.

"What the?" said Weather Wizard.

"Hey Weather boy!"

Weather Wizard looked down, his eyes widening when he saw Barry flying upward using a mini vortex made from his own hands.

"This is what happens when you try to hurt my friends!" shouted Barry, who stopped rotating one of his fists in order to prepare a vibrated punch.

"Uh oh." said Weather Wizard, who raised his arms in desperation in an attempt to defend himself. Unfortunately for him, it was too late.

"FLORIDA-" shouted Midoriya.

"SMASH!" shouted Barry.

The two hit Weather Wizard from both sides at the same time with a bone-crunching *CRACK*, with Midoriya delivering a supercharged double foot kick to his back while Barry hit him with a savage uppercut using an infinite mass punch. Weather Wizard spewed blood from his mouth instantly as he lost consciousness, the last thing he saw being Barry's fist and Midoriya's foot.

While the villain was defeated, Barry still had to contend with the fact that all three of them were still falling through the air. Grabbing Midoriya and Weather Wizard under his arms, Barry rotated his fists, breaking their fall with a double vortex.

* * *

"The wind," said Mina, "It's slowing down!"

"It appears that the crisis has been averted!" said Iida.

"Ha!" said Mineta, "In your face no-name villain!"

The class begins to celebrate as the teachers meet.

Aizawa scratched his scruff, "I don't like it. We should stay on guard."

"It's clear that a villain just got taken down." said Vlad, "That's still a win for us."

"Maybe," said Aizawa, "But there are still villains out there, I'm sure of it."

Jay nodded, "We should still be on the lookout."

"Agreed." said Vlad, "Security should still be tight."

"We should also tell the kids to stop cheering," said Aizawa, "It's going to attract more attention."

"Patrols are one thing but letting them celebrate is another." said Jay, "Let them have hope."

"I concur," said a new terrifying voice, "Especially since it'll be so much fun tearing that hope away!"

The entire class jumped at the voice, watching as the teachers formed a barrier between them the students and the voice immediately.

"Another damn villain?" said Vlad, "Show yourself!"

But Jay recognized that voice, the voice of someone so dangerous they almost wrecked time. A name Jay knew well.

"No," trembled Jay, "It can't be you."

"Garrick?" said Aizawa, "You know this guy?"

"Uh uh uh!" said the voice, "No spoilers!"

*KRAK!*

Moving so fast the human eye couldn't track him, the villain swooped by the teachers, striking Jay across the head with a rock. Jay dropped to the ground, unconscious immediately.

"WAH!" screamed Mineta, "A teacher's down already!"

"Shut up Mineta!" shouted Kaminari, "It was a surprise attack, the other two can handle him!"

"Shame," said the villain, "If it weren't for the helmet I would have spilled his brains all over the grass!"

"WALLY, KOTA!" shouted Aizawa, "EVERYONE, GET INSIDE!"

"I'll take him!" shouted Vlad, charging towards the forest as the students began to herd Kota and Wally deeper into the lodge.

"Hey wait!" said Wally, "We can't just leave them out there!"

"Just keep Kota safe!" said Kirishima, "We'll stay to help, even though he doesn't want us too!"

Wally nodded, leading Kota deeper into the lodge as the rest of the students turned back towards the fight.

*KRAK!* *POW!* *SNAP!*

No sooner did the class turn around only to find Vlad King's body fly through the air, landing in a pile of broken desks. He was covered in his own blood, his eyes swollen shut and a broken rib protruding from his chest.

"SENSEI!" shouted Monoma, rushing to his teacher's broken body to check his pulse, "He's still alive! I'll make that villain pay."

"Heh, Unlikely." said the villain.

The class turned towards the villain, only to gaze in horror at the sight they were met with.

The villain was dressed in a yellow costume covering most of his body, with openings for his mouth and eyes. He had metal lightning bolts over his ears and red boots, as well as a black circle with a red lightning bolt, emblazoned over his chest. But what disturbed the students the most was what he was doing with Aizawa.

Having grabbed Aizawa's scarf, the villain had wrapped it around Aizawa's neck like a noose. The other end was tightly tied to a tree branch, suspending Aizawa above the ground and hanging him. He kicked in desperation as the noose strangled the life out of him.

"You kids ready for the worst night of your lives?!" shouted the villain.

"GET HIM!" shouted Sero.

The students all screamed a war cry as they charged the villain.

"HAH!" shouted Thawne, "I love your spirit!"

Rushing forward, Thawne started by grabbing Sero as he attempted to eject his tape towards the villain. Using the tape, Thawne wrapped one end of the tape around Monoma's neck and another around Koda's neck. Dragging the three along at super speed, Thawne wrapped all three around the tree trunk at a level where they couldn't stand up. He stepped back in satisfaction as all three of them began to choke.

"Heh, and they say adults aren't creative." said Thawne.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" shouted Ojiro, swinging at Thawne with his tail. Thawne smirked, easily dodging the attack.

"A tail?" said Thawne, "Let's give it a makeover!"

*KRAK* *KRAK* *KRAK* *KRAK* *KRAK*

Thawne rapidly punched the tail, listening in satisfaction as he broke every bone in the appendage.

"AAAAAAAGH!" screamed Ojiro, crumpling into a ball on the ground as he clutched his tail.

"Six left!" Thawne said Giddily, rushing towards the rest of the students who were now attempting to back away. His first target was Mineta, trying to run with his stubby little legs.

"Not even worth my time pipsqueak!" shouted Thawne, raising his foot and punting Mineta into the air. Mineta screamed like a baby as he crashed through a window.

Thawne saw Iida making a stand out of the corner of his eye, "You're the fastest one here right?" said Thawne, racing behind Iida, "Not anymore!"

"YEEEEAAARRRGHH!" screamed Iida as Thawne grabbed and tore the engines from his calves. He fell to the ground, clutching his legs.

As the four remaining students retreated, Sato stopped, ready to try and get ahold of Thawne.

"Run!" shouted Sato, "I'll hold him off!"

Sato grabbed a sugar packet from his pocket and tore it open, only for Thawne to slap it out of his hand.

"Sugar is bad for you big guy!" said Thawne, "Nature always provides the best!"

Thawne then shoves a branch down Sato's throat, followed by a strike to adam's apple. Sato fell to his knees, coughing up wood and blood. Thawne rushed onward as Kaminari began to charge up.

"I heard electricity fries your brain!" said Thawne, "How about I just skip the middle man!"

Thawne grabs Kaminari by the temple with both hands, vibrating them at super speed. Kaminari can't even scream before his eyes roll into the back of his head as he falls to the ground, twitching.

"Two left," said Thawne, "and not just any two, THE Two."

Backed up against the wall, Kirishima hardens his body, "Do your worst you bastard!"

"Ok." said Thawne before grabbing Kirishima's forearms and twisting them until they faced the wrong direction.

"RARRGH!" shouted Kirishima, he fell to his knees, helpless as Thawne delivered a vibrated kick that sends him into the wall behind him, leaving a crack as he fell to the ground in pain. Thawne raced up to Mina, grabbing her by the throat and pinning her against the wall.

"W-Who are you?!" managed Mina through Thawne's iron grip.

Thawne drew a devilish grin as he leaned in close, placing his lips right next to Mina's ear. "I am the Reverse-Flash," he whispered, "and if you want to know who is truly responsible for all this pain, all this suffering, I'll let you know right now that it is all Barry Allen's fault."

Mina's eyes widened as he slammed her head into the wall, breaking her horns off her head and knocking her out. Thawne turned around, looking over all the brutality and suffering he had just caused in satisfaction.

"Heh, I used to love stopping people like me." said Thawne before he entered the classroom, carrying the unconscious Heatwave and Trickster out of the lodge at super speed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Considering how brutal that just was, I almost added a warning at the beginning of the chapter, but chose not too in order to shock the readers! I hope I wasn't too hard on our heroes (I felt genuinely uncomfortable writing Sato's scene.)! Don't worry, there's so much more coming and the Camp Arc is far from over. I'll see you guys next time!
> 
> Seriously, this felt like writing Torture porn but it's for a purpose, to make Thawne a force to be reckoned with.


	48. Terminal Velocity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tragedy! After Thawne's brutal assault on the lodge, Aizawa must free himself and pick up the pieces. Meanwhile, Barry and Midoriya must find Bakugou before it's too late!

* * *

Aizawa gasped for air as he hung from the tree, scarf around his neck. He had just been completely dismantled by a villain faster than the eye could process, a villain who had brutalized the rest of his class right in front of him. While Aizawa's anger was palpable, he knew he couldn't avenge his students if he was dead.

"C'mon." choked Aizawa, straining his arm to reach into his pocket, "Just a little more!"

Aizawa slowly but surely reached into his pocket, grabbing the bladed jack he picked up earlier. Raising it to his neck, Aizawa hacked away at his own scarf. Just as he was beginning to turn blue, Aizawa cut the last of the scarf, allowing him to drop to the ground. He gasped for air, looking around at all the students. His eyes widened when he saw one particular group.

_NO!_

Aizawa rushed to Sero, Monoma, and Koda, all of whom were tied up and hung from a tree. Using the jack, Aizawa cut them all down. He quickly checked each and every one of the boy's heartbeats.

_Don't you dare be dead!_

Aizawa checked Sero's heartbeat, hearing the *BADUM!*. Relieved only for a second, Aizawa checked Monoma's heartbeat, again hearing the *BADUM!*. Nodding to himself, Aizawa moved onto Koda.

Nothing.

Aizawa's eyes widened as he put his hands on Koda's chest and started to perform CPR.

"Damnit Koda, not you!" shouted Aizawa, "Don't you dare die on me!"

Aizawa pounded on Koda's chest until he heard the most subtle gasp for breath from Koda's mouth. Koda remained unconscious, but Aizawa checked his heartbeat to see if anything changed.

*BADUM!*

Aizawa sighed in relief, taking a step back in order to glance over the rest of the children. He visibly cringed at the sight of the rest of his class. Most of them were unconscious, suffering broken limbs or open gashes. A few, such as Iida and Ojiro, were still conscious, suffering in silence as they clutched their mangled body parts.

Aizawa was filled with both unrestrained anger and an unerasable feeling of shame. He knew he would make this villain pay for what he had done, but for now he could only feel the weight of what the villain left behind.

Aizawa had failed to protect his students, and he knew this better than anyone.

* * *

Weather Wizard's body hit the ground face first as Barry and Midoriya floated to the ground, having broken their fall with Barry's vortex.

"That was close!" said Barry, "But at least another Rogue won't be a problem for the rest of the night."

"Yeah," said Midoriya, "But we can't waste any more time on these villains. We have to find Kacchan!"

Barry nodded, picking Midoriya up and speeding them both to the entrance of the test of courage path. The two glanced between both the paths entrance and exit.

"Kacchan took the path early on." said Midoriya, "It might be better if we start down the exit path first instead of the entrance."

Barry thought for a second, obviously, that would make the most sense if they were just trying to find Kacchan. But they weren't just trying to find Kacchan.

"That makes sense, but what about the others?" said Barry, "Tsuyu and Uraraka went in the were the latest to go in, they could be in trouble."

Midoriya looked worried, "Y-You're right, which path should we go on?"

Barry's eyes darted between the paths, trying to make a choice. He grimaced, realizing that the best choice was one that didn't involve picking just one path.

"I know you're going to hate this," said Barry, "but we should split up."

"What?!" said Midoriya, "But the plan! We made a plan!"

"If we go down one path together, we risk letting people on the other side hurt." said Barry, "I hate it too, but if we want to save everyone, we each have to go down a different path."

Midoriya looked Barry in the eyes, conflicted, "I….I'll go down the exit path, you go down the entrance path. When I find Kacchan and whoever else is with me, I'll make a beeline for the lodge. If you find anyone on the, take them there as well."

"Alright." said Barry.

Barry extended his hand, only to realize that Midoriya's arms were broken. Midoriya realized this, nodding instead. Barry put on a look of determination, nodding as well. The two then parted ways, each racing down a separate path.

Barry raced down the path, happy that he wasn't dodging trees or rocks.

_Captain Cold is down and Weather Wizard is down. Mirror Master and Golden Glider are….gone. That leaves Trickster, Heatwave, and Jin. Weather Wizard did mention Trickster and Heatwave failing at something, so they must be caught too. That leaves Jin._

Barry's eyes narrowed as he increased his stride.

_Can't let anyone else get hurt._

"AGH!"

Barry's eyes widen as he hears a scream from up ahead.

_Not on my watch!_

* * *

"Grr, get off me!" yelped Uraraka.

"Heh, I'm not done sucking out your blood!" said the villain.

A small girl pinned Uraraka to the ground, sucking blood out of her leg with a syringe.

"Leave her alone!" shouted Tsuyu, pinned to a tree by the hair with a boomerang.

"I know I'm supposed to be a villain." said Captain Boomerang, "But even I find this morbid. Can you please stop that Toga?"

"I'm just making friends!" said Toga, "Aren't you here to fight the Flash?"

"You want the Flash? HERE I AM!"

Barry blitzed through Toga, kneeing her in the face as he went by and breaking her mask right off her face. Moving forward, Barry grabbed Captain Boomerang before he could even realize what's going on, slamming his head into a tree.

"Ah, the hell?!" said Captain Boomerang, shaking his head before his eyes landed on Barry, "YOU! Are you the Flash?!"

"YEAH!" shouted Barry, "And I don't care what your name is, I just want you to stop hurting my friends!"

"Sounds good!" shouted Boomerang, pulling out another boomerang, "Cause the only person I really want to hurt is you!"

Captain Boomerang swung at Barry with the blade in hand, but Barry dodged under before hitting him in the stomach.

"GAH!" grunted Boomerang, "You little-"

Barry followed up the strike with an uppercut, watching as Boomerang's body slumped onto the ground, motionless.

Tsuyu and Uraraka looked at Barry in utter surprise.

"B-Barry?!" said Uraraka, "How'd you get here?!"

"I'm helping Midoriya look for Bakugou," said Barry, "We decided to find who we could in the forest and take them back to the lodge. Once everyone's safe we can wait out the villain attack."

Barry walked over to Tsuyu, pulling the boomerang out of her hair, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, a little cut up but fine." said Tsuyu, "Are you ok?"

"Me?" said Barry.

"Look at yourself!" said Tsuyu.

Barry took a look at his own body, realizing that it was severely damaged. There where lightning burns all over his body after the fight with Weather Wizard and those burns had reopened his other gashes from the fight with Captain Cold.

"It hurts," said Barry, "but I can push through."

"Uraraka?! Tsuyu?!"

Midoriya's voice can be heard as Shoji, carrying Midoriya, bursts through the bushes, closely followed by Todoroki.

"Midoriya!" said Barry, "You made it!"

"We sure did Barry!" said Midoriya, "Are Uraraka and Tsuyu ok?"

"Yeah, they're good." said Barry, "But did you find-"

"YOU THOUGHT CAPTAIN BOOMERANG WAS UNCONSCIOUS, BUT HE WAS JUST FAKING IT!"

Barry whirled around to find that not only was Boomerang conscious but that he had thrown a boomerang right at Barry. Barry's eyes widened as he moved his head out of the way, barely dodging the projectile as it moved in slow motion. His eyes followed the weapon in slow motion, watching as its path now led to Todoroki.

_No!_

Barry turned, trying to race after the projectile. Despite his speed, his injuries greatly hindered him, keeping him from speeding up.

_C'mon, just a little faster!_

Barry reached out his hand, his fingers just inches from the blade, but it was too late. The Boomerang embedded itself in Todoroki's shoulder. Todoroki cried out in pain, stumbling back while clutching his shoulder.

Barry's eyes widened, staring at his injured friend.

_That villain._

Barry whirled around, his bloodied fists tightened. The villain was grinning, pulling out another boomerang.

_He hurt my friend!_

"BASTARD!" shouted Barry, screaming towards Captain Boomerang at light speed. Captain Boomerang didn't even have time to react before Barry was upon him, delivering a superpowered fist to the jaw. But Barry wasn't about to stop at one punch.

"Why are you doing this?!" shouted Barry, pummeling the villain with rapid-fire punches, "Why are you hurting my friends?!"

Captain Boomerang tried to answer, but Barry just kept punching him, blood now falling from his mouth.

"You know what? I don't give a damn!" shouted Barry, "I'm just sick and tired of lowlifes like you and the Rogues trying to kill me and my friends!"

"BARRY STOP!" shouted Midoriya, but Barry couldn't hear him.

Barry continued to beat Captain Boomerang, now knocking teeth out of his mouth, "Goddamn the League of Villains, Goddamn the Rogues, and GODDAMN YOU!"

"BARRY!"

Tsuyu's tongue wrapped itself around Barry's arm, stopping him from continuing the assault. Barry whirled around, an angry look in his face, only to be met with looks of fear from the rest of his classmates.

"Barry, don't!" said Midoriya, "You're gonna kill him!"

Barry looked back at Captain Boomerang, who was now unconscious for real. His head laid to the side, covered in blood and looking like it had just gone through a harvester. Splatters of blood were everywhere, as well as individual teeth. Barry looked at his hands, which were drenched in blood that wasn't his own.

"I-I didn't mean-" said Barry, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt him this bad."

"We know Barry," said Shoji, "We know."

"It's just that," said Barry, "He hurt Todoroki. Every villain I've fought tonight has wanted to hurt me. I feel like I'm about to snap in half at this point."

Todoroki walked up to Barry, putting his hand on his shoulder, "My shoulder will heal, but you never will if you kill this villain."

Barry looked at Boomerang's brutalized form, "I won't kill him, I won't."

Standing up, Barry turned around, "I-I'm fine. Now we just have to find Bakugou."

"Kacchan?" said Midoriya, "But he's right behind us!"

Barry looked behind them, "I don't see him."

Midoriya glanced back, "What do you mean you don't see-"

Midoriya's eyes widened when he realized that Barry was right, Bakugou wasn't behind them.

"W-What?!" shouted Midoriya, "But I swear he was he-"

"The boy you're talking about," said a new voice, "I stole him using my magic!"

The students followed their ears, looking up into the trees to spot a man waltzing on one of the branches. He wore a dark orange shirt, its collar left upturned and a green striped bolo necktie with an oval-shaped azure brooch hanging around his neck.

"He's a guy who should seek a higher purpose than being a so-called hero!" said the man. Who leaped into the shadows.

"NO!" shouted Midoriya, "GIVE HIM BACK!"

*WOOSH!*

"Ah ah ah!"

Barry's heart sinks as he heard that horrible voice, one engraved in his mind since the mall. Turning around, Barry came face to face with Thawne. Thawne smirked in his costume, holding Midoriya by the head, both hands on his face.

"I wouldn't go after him." said Thawne, "Especially since I'm threatening to snap your friend's neck so hard his head pops right off his shoulders!"

"W-Who is this?!" said Uraraka.

"I don't know," said Thawne, "why don't you tell them Barry?"

"Barry?" said Todoroki, "You know this man?"

Barry didn't hear any of the words coming out of people's mouths. All he was focused on was Thawne.

_No way. I won't let him hurt anyone!_

Barry surged forward, crossing the distance between himself and Thawne instantly and cracking him across the jaw. Thawne, surprised, let go of Midoriya, stumbling back a few feet before nursing his mouth.

"Go after Bakugou!" shouted Barry, "I'll hold him off!"

"But Barry-" said Midoriya.

"GO!" shouted Barry, "TRUST ME!"

Midoriya looked like he wanted to stay, but with Bakugou's life on the line, he had to make a choice. Turning around, Midoriya yelled, "FOLLOW ME!" before racing off after the magic villain. The rest of the students followed, leaving Barry and Thawne alone on the path.

Thawne smirked, taking a step forward, "I've got to thank you, Barry. Getting those losers to leave us alone, it's a godsend. It was always just the two of us anyway."

"Shut up!" said Barry, "Just shut up and listen!"

Barry's outburst didn't seem to surprise Thawne, but he grinned, leaning back with arms crossed.

"I don't know what I did to you in the future." said Barry, "But I do know that right here, right now, you want to hurt my friends. But it isn't gonna happen."

Barry stepped forward, "I'll protect them and stop you because I'm the Flash, Fastest man alive!"

Thawne was silent for a moment, but only a moment.

"Heh," chuckled Thawne, bringing his hands up and starting to clap, "I enjoyed the declaration, though you're a little late on the protecting your friends angle."

Barry's heart sank even lower, "W-What?"

"I checked out the lodge Barry." said Thawne, "Found some interesting specimens."

Barry began to shake, "Y-You didn't."

"Iida's gonna have trouble keeping up with you now that he needs an engine replacement." said Thawne, "Well, more trouble anyway."

Barry looked down, his fists shaking, "No."

"Poor Kaminari was in a bit of a panic, so I gave him some electrotherapy." said Thawne, "Though, he might not do, well, anything ever again after that mess."

Barry's breathing began to quicken, he was hyperventilating now.

"Oh and Kirishima, poor Kirishima!" said Thawne, "He can't punch straight anymore, mostly cause his arms aren't straight."

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" shouted Barry, "I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA TEAR OFF YOUR GODDAMN LEGS!"

Thawne drew a wicked grin, "I wonder if you'll still bone Mina without her horns?"

That was the string that broke the camel's back.

Barry roared, racing towards Thawne while vibrating his fist, fully intent on punching Thawne's head off. Thawne could only smirk before effortlessly dodging out of the way.

"HAH!" laughed Thawne, "You actually thought you had any modicum of a chance?!"

Thawne grabbed Barry and raced down the path, dragging Barry through the dirt. Barry's head hit hundreds of bumps in the span of seconds as Thawne ran him over the whole dirt path. Thawne heaved Barry from side to side, forcing his body into the path of trees and boulders.

*CRACK!*

*THUD!*

*POP!*

Barry could feel his own ribs cracking as he hit each obstacle, helpless to retaliate against Thawne's overwhelming speed.

"Now for some more up close and personal damage!" shouted Thawne.

Propping Barry on his feet, Thawne begins to punch and kick Barry from every conceivable direction at light speed. Just as Barry starts to feel the effect of one strike, Thawne lays out five more. Barry can only watch as Thawne mangles his organs, breaks his arms, and punches out his teeth.

Barry drops to the ground in a ball, now utterly terrified of Thawne and trying to protect himself.

"Aw!" said Thawne, "Where's all that I'll stop you energy? C'mon! Run Barry Run!"

"W-Why?" groaned Barry.

"Huh? What was that?" said Thawne, leaning down, "I can't hear you?"

"W-Why do you hate me?" groaned Barry, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"Aw, he's crying." said Thawne, grabbing Barry by the head and dragging him to a standing position, "Well you pathetic piece of shit, how about I show you!"

Thawne gleefully shocks Barry with his lightning, watching as he screams in agony. Barry cries out in pain as he starts to black out.

* * *

_They say that Villains, like heroes, are born. They're wrong. I wasn't born a villain. I WAS FORMED!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was great to write, I hope you guys like it! I'd also like to mention that today the special 750th issue of the official Flash comic releases! All the big writers like Geoff Johns, Micheal Moreci, Marv Wolfman, and Joshua Williamson (Current writer of the book) are contributing with art from so many legends including Scott Collins, Rafa Sandoval, Bryan Hitch, and Francis Manapul!
> 
> If you have a comics store nearby, GET IT! Happy Anniversary Flash, you mean more to me than you could ever know!


	49. Reverse Flash: A Lifetime Of Service

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The earth-shattering origin of Eobard Thawne! As Thawne's assault on Barry deepens to the mental level, Thawne takes Barry on a journey through his past in order to discover the truth behind Thawne's hatred.

_You know Barry, one would think that my beef with you started with some climactic battle. The city in ruins, your friends disabled or dead, and a brutal brawl to the death between the two of us._

_Truth be told, it started way differently._

* * *

"C'mon Eobard!" said an excited adult Malcolm, "It's almost time!"

A ten-year-old Thawne unenthusiastically shuffled alongside his father as the two waded through a crowd of onlookers. Today was a big day for Eobard, though he didn't know it at first.

"There he is!" shouted Malcolm.

The two broke through to the front of the crowd as a massive red veil fell away, revealing a massive new building with a large six-foot granite statue of the Flash. The crowd roared as the Flash zoomed into the field where they were located, hand outreached. Raising their hands as well, the crowd screamed with joy as Flash gave everyone high fives. Eobard sighed, looking uninterested.

"Look at him go!" Said Malcolm, "He's the fastest man alive!"

Malcolm turned, looking at the disinterested Eobard.

"I said look!" said Malcolm.

Malcolm grabbed Eobard by the ear and yanked his head in Flash's direction. Eobard winced as Flash slid to a stop in front of the statue, now holding a microphone.

"Hello everyone!" said the Flash, "My partner Wally has decided to take on double duties to allow me to welcome everyone to the new Flash Museum, so let's start with a big round of applause for Wally!"

The crowd cheered and erupted into deafening applause, Malcolm and Eobard included.

"Now, I'm gonna have to keep this short, duty calls as always." said Flash, "But what I have to say today is important."

Flash pointed at the statue, "That is not a statue of Barry Allen."

The crowd murmured in confusion.

"What's he mean by that?" asked Eobard.

"I don't know." said Malcolm.

"That is a statue of the Flash." said Barry, "and you might think that those statements are contradictory. My name is Barry Allen and I am the Flash."

Flash stepped forward, "But the truth is, Flash is more than just what I make of it. Flash is an ideal, a legacy."

Flash turned around, facing the museum, "This museum isn't a celebration of my achievements, it's a celebration of the ideals that come with the Flash, ideals that I hope never die."

Flash smiled, "It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, as long as you embody those ideals, you can be the Flash! And with the boring speech out of the way, I'd like to welcome everyone to the Flash museum!"

The crowd cheered as Flash sped off, allowing them to flood the doors to the museum. Malcolm giggled like a little boy, gently taking Eobard in front of the statue.

"We're so lucky to have someone like the Flash." said Malcolm, "You know he saved my life once, right?"

"I know dad, you've told me this story a million times." said Eobard, "I don't want to hear it again."

"Watch your little mouth." said Malcolm, "Fine, if you don't wanna come with me, I'll just walk around on my own."

And with that, Malcolm left Eobard in front of the statue.

Eobard stared at the statue, admiring its gleaming white stone. He noticed that everyone walking by rubbed the feet of the statue, likely for a sign of good luck. Eobard smiled, noticing the incredibly large amount of love and fame the Flash had. Even at an age as young as his, Eobard was extremely smart.

"When I grow up." said Eobard, "I'll be the Flash, then people will love me."

* * *

_Daddy never shut up about the Flash, his obsession was probably why he never paid me any attention. It was a good thing when the car crash happened, I was glad to be rid of that oaf._

_But let's get back on track, I wanted to be the Flash, but how would I do it? Well, can't be the Flash without the Speed Force._

* * *

"Which one was it again?"

A twelve-year-old Eobard sat in his bedroom in front of a table topped with chemicals.

"The Flash museum laid out Barry Allen's origin as Flash and how he got his powers." said Eobard, "So now I have to find the right combination of chemicals to replicate the accident."

Eobard tapped his feet, checking every chemical to make sure it's right.

"Alright!" said Eobard, "now I'll have to build a lightning rod."

Eobard walked over to his window, looking out at the stormy skies brewing ahead.

"Or I might get struck randomly," said Eobard, "But what are the chances of tha-"

*KRAKAKOOM!*

A bolt of lightning strikes Eobard's bedroom window, electrocuting him and throwing him backwards onto the table. The chemical vials are smashed by Eobard's body, coating him in a new formula.

* * *

"GAH!"

Eobard coughed as he sat up straight, his vision blurry. He shook his head, trying to get the ringing out of his ears.

"What just-"

Eobard's eyes widened when he noticed a piece of glass floating in the air. Standing up, Eobard approached the piece of glass and poked it, watching it float away. Thawne looked around the rest of the room, finding other pieces of debris frozen in place.

"Is this?" said Eobard, looking at his own hands.

Red lightning crackled around his arms, inducing a joyful smile from the boy.

"I did it." said Eobard, "I DID IT!"

* * *

_I didn't know it yet, but that wasn't the speed force, not really._

_I would nurture my abilities in the upcoming years, enrolling myself into UA just like you did. I passed top of my class, earning a ton of invitations to various hero agencies. Thing was, I already knew where I wanted to go._

* * *

An eighteen-year-old Eobard stood in front of the Flash Agency, watching as numerous speed heroes raced in and out of it. While they were all fairly quick, none possessed the speed force. Eobard smiled, walking into the agency doors with his paperwork.

"Hello!" said the secretary at the front desk, "Welcome to the Flash agency, how can I help you?"

"I'd like to apply for a spot on the hero team." said Eobard, "I have my paperwork right here. The name is Eobard Thawne."

The secretary frowned, "Unfortunately Mr. Thawne, we have no open spots."

Eobard sighed, "Can you at least fit me into a queue or something?"

"You'll have to come back later." said the secretary.

Just as Eobard's annoyance began to bubble over, there was a whoosh as a red streak came in, bringing a gust of wind that knocked all the paper on the secretary's desk into the air.

"Janice, I just put the Rogues back in jail," said Flash.

"I'll file the paperwork when you stop knocking all my files everywhere!" said the secretary, "Damn it, Barry, you don't pay me enough."

"I'll give you another raise." said the Flash, "We really don't pay you enough. Besides, I'll just pick up your-"

Flash stopped mid-sentence when he realized that all the files that he had previously sent flying into the air were no longer in the air, now were they on the floor.

"Looking for these?"

Flash turned to Eobard, who held all the papers in a neat stack. Flash stared at Eobard, slowly developing a smile.

"What's your name?" asked Flash.

Eobard beamed as he was acknowledged by his idol, "Thawne. Eobard Thawne."

"Well Thawne," said Flash, "Are you interested in a position here?"

* * *

_Just like that, you let me in. A generous offer they called it, how right they were. It's funny, when you realized I used the speed force too you knew I was significant. But you never knew how significant I would be to your life, and how much your life meant to me._

* * *

"DEATH TO ALL!"

The villain known as Tar Pit tossed cars around the cityscape like they were toys, trying to murder as many people as he could. He was a massive blob of sentient tar given life by a villain who could put his mind into inanimate objects. Unfortunately for Tar Pit, his mind got stuck inside the tar.

A woman screamed as a car flew through the air, its path taking it straight to her.

"Gotcha miss!"

Barry and Wally raced in, grabbing the woman and pushing her to safety. Barry wore his red Flash uniform while Wally wore his similar uniform, though his costume had an open-top that let his hair flow.

"Thank you!" said the woman.

"Alright," said Wally, "Now we take down Tar Pit."

"NOOOOOOOO."

Barry and Wally whirled around to find that Thawne was already there, creating a tornado with his arms to suck Tar pit into a jar. Tar Pit's body swirled around as it was funneled into the jar, which Thawne promptly sealed up. It was also worth mentioning that Thawne was already in costume. Specifically, it was a Flash costume with inverted colors.

"What?" said Thawne, "Too fast?"

Barry and Wally sped up to Thawne, with Wally taking the jarred Tar Pit and Barry patting Thawne on the back.

"Nice work." said Barry, "Why the costume?"

"I've always wanted to be the Flash." said Thawne, "But I'm not quite there yet, so the inverted colors is a compromise."

Barry smiled, "Don't worry Eobard, with skills like yours, I think you'll fit right in."

* * *

_And fit in I did. I worked for you for years Barry, beating down criminals and saving thousands of people. We had beers after missions, you took me to your wedding, the works. I appreciated it, but I never forgot the fact that I was still in your shadow, always in your shadow._

_I was there for fifteen long years Barry. Fifteen years. You don't realize how much time has passed until you look back, and you only look back at moments of celebration. Moments like_

* * *

"Happy 50th Anniversary!"

Champagne bottles were popped open as the Flash Agency cheered in celebration. It had been 50 years since Barry Allen had first become the Flash, and people were ready to party in his name.

"Please, please!" said an older Barry, stuck in the middle of the crowd, "This is a little excessive."

"Hell no it isn't!" said Thawne, speeding up to him with a glass of brandy, "You're the Flash, any anniversary for you is a reason to be excessive."

Barry chuckled, "Heh, I guess I can indulge a little."

Barry took the glass and sipped the brandy, "By the way, congratulations on cracking the top ten on the boards last week."

"Thank you!" said Thawne, "I couldn't have done it without you!"

"Nonsense!" said Barry, "You have the drive to do what you do. You could have succeeded anywhere, I'm just happy you chose us."

Barry sipped on the brandy a little more as Thawne timidly approached him, "Can I ask you something personal?"

"Hmm?" said Barry, "Sure, go ahead."

"You once said that the Flash was a legacy." said Thawne, "Does that mean that when you retire, you'll pass down the mantle?"

Barry thought for a moment, "Well, I am getting old. In a decade or two, It would be a good idea."

"Who would you grant it too?" said Thawne, "Hypothetically speaking."

Barry gave Thawne an odd look, "Well, I'd give it to the person who I deemed most suitable for the name."

Thawne smiled, "You know my dream, sir?"

Barry placed his brandy glass on a table, "Yes, to be the Flash."

"Then you know I will try as hard as I possibly can to live up to the Flash name and to earn it!" said Thawne, "I swear I won't let you down."

Barry opened his mouth, but closed it, reconsidering his words, "Go for it kid, I'm sure you would make a fantastic Flash."

Thawne grinned, "Because anyone can be the Flash."

"Grandpa Allen?"

Barry turned around to find an eighteen-year-old boy with ginger hair wearing a yellow Flash suit.

"Hey Bart!" said Barry, "Wearing Wally's old Kid Flash costume aren't you."

"Yup." said Bart, "I'm hoping to become a Flash just like he did!"

Barry turned around to Thawne, "Thawne, this is Bart, my grandson. He just joined the agency as our newest recruit. He even taps into the speed force as we do."

Thawne eyed Bart, "Are you sure he's up for this?"

"I'm sure of it Eobard," said Barry, "Bart will be a good hero, I know it."

* * *

_I knew Bart was trouble from the moment we met. He was a threat to my goal of becoming the Flash, but I naively thought that I could just out skill him. I would be so exceptional that Bart would have no chance of being selected._

* * *

"Down Mr. Mercer." said Thawne, punching Captain Boomerang across the face, "You're getting old."

Mercer spat out blood, "And you're not the Flash, I wanted the Flash."

Thawne gritted his teeth, "Well guess what, you'll get him in a few years!"

Thawne began to savagely beat Mercer, cracking his ribs.

"Stop!"

A hand grabbed Thawne's fist, preventing him from continuing the beating. Turning around, Thawne came face to face with Bart.

"We're supposed to put these guys in jail so they can't hurt anyone." said Bart, "Not beat the crap out of them when they're down."

Thawne yanked his hand out of Bart's grasp, "I'll be on my way then."

Thawne grabbed Mercer and blitzed him to prison, making sure his handcuffs were nice and tight.

* * *

_That encounter summed up our way of being heroes pretty well. He stuck to the alleyways and slums, keeping the peasants safe and taking down low-level villains. I never figured out why, but all I knew was that he wasn't taking advantage of the big fish._

_I would crack the top 3 in the next decade, taking down big villain after big villain. Bart was still a tiny minuscule fish in a big pond, barely cracking the top 100. Sure, I got love around that point, but it wasn't enough, I had to take the Flash name and all that came with it to be truly loved and to truly justify the lifetime I've spent serving under you. I was sure that when the big announcement came, I would be selected to be the Flash and my life's goal, my life's work, would be accomplished._

_How wrong I was._

* * *

"Aw c'mon man!" said Trickster, "I can't let my dad's legacy be wasted!"

Thawne had Trickster pinned down with a boot to the head in front of a large news station. Big Tv's were spread across the entrance.

"Sorry Axel," said Thawne, "But trash like you and your dad don't get to have a legacy. Unlike me, you're born to be forgotten."

"Breaking news!" said a news reporter, "Both Barry Allen and Wally West, better known as the Flashes, have announced a surprise retirement."

"What?!" yelped Thawne, whirling to the tv.

"The hell is going on?!" said Trickster, but Thawne shifted his boot over Trickster's mouth.

"The move has shocked the Flash agency as well since Neither Allen nor West elected to inform the agency of their decision in advance." said the reporter, "In addition, Mr. Allen has announced that he will be selecting a member of his own agency to take on the Flash mantle. We go live to the scene!"

Thawne's heart jumped with joy as his breathing became baited, his hands going over his mouth. The TV screen swapped to a live feed of an older white-haired Barry standing on a podium in front of the Flash Museum.

"It's finally happening!" Exclaimed Thawne.

"Hello," said Barry, "You may be surprised by my sudden retirement, but the reality is I've simply realized that being the Flash can take its toll on private life. I'd like to spend more time at home with my beautiful wife, Patty."

Thawne nodded to himself, still absolutely giddy.

"But truthfully, none of you are here for my retirement reasons." said Barry, "You're here to figure out who I've selected to take my mantle."

Thawne shook with excitement.

"I have elected to choose..." said Barry.

"Eobard Thawne!" exclaimed Thawne.

"My Grandson, Bart Allen!" said Barry.

Thawne's smile remained frozen on his face, his mind in complete denial at first. Unfortunately, after a few seconds, the truth came barreling down on Thawne.

"What?" said Thawne, shaking his head with wide eyes, "I-I don't understand."

"Heh."

Thawne turned around to find Trickster chuckling at him, "Aw, you didn't get the dream job? Better luck next life!"

A dark look made itself visible on Thawne's face as he leaned down, grabbing Trickster and speeding them both into a dark alley.

"Uh, what's going on?" asked Trickster, "Aren't I supposed to go to jail?"

"Yes, but..." said Thawne, "I really need to blow off some steam."

Thawne immediately began to lay into Trickster, punching him rapidly. Blood and teeth began to fly out of Trickster's mouth immediately.

"Sto-Stop! St-" sputtered Trickster, unable to get the words out as Thawne continued to hit him mercilessly. Eventually, there was a *CRACK* and Trickster's head went limp, but Thawne continued to lay into him. Soon, bits of flesh began to fly from Trickster's face, then eyeballs, then his jaw.

Thawne panted, stepping back from Trickster's now destroyed head. He looked at his own costume, not caked in blood. His hands in particular were drenched in the red substance. Thawne's mind went back to the announcement, the reveal that he would not be the Flash, and everything seemed to fall apart. Thawne dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands as he began to weep.

Thawne wondered in the back of his mind why he wasn't chosen. He was the most skilled, highest-ranked hero in the agency, he even had the speed force, how could he not get chosen.

Thawne continued to cry, lamenting on the lifetime of servitude and proving his heroism that now didn't get him squat. Barry knew what Thawne wanted, he knew that Thawne was the best, so why not pick him? Couldn't anyone be the Flash?

Then Thawne came to a realization.

Thawne wiped his eyes, which were now blood red with anger.

"That old fool," said Thawne, "He chose his own blood over the best choice as any selfish bastard would. Anyone can be the Flash my ass, it's all a big fat lie."

Thawne stood up, fists clenched, "Well, if he wants to invalidate my entire existence by choosing his ilk, I'll invalidate his legacy by killing his ilk."

* * *

_Now you see Barry, the lie of the century, the lie that made me waste my entire life trying to become the Flash. You were only ever going to pick your own child instead of me, the obvious best choice. You knew what my life's purpose was and you took me on a joyous journey towards that goal. You had me climb the stairway to heaven with you Barry. But in the end, you revealed your lie and kicked me back down when we got to the gates._

_This was the night Eobard Thawne faded away and Reverse-Flash was formed. Get a good look Barry, cause this is just the beginning._


	50. Reverse Flash: Broken Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of Eobard Thawne's shocking origin! As Thawne puts the final pieces of his plan for vengeance in place, He considers whether or not everything he does next will be worth it.

Thawne sat in his room, watching the news coverage of Bart Allen being granted the mantle of Flash on his TV. He picked up a bottle of whiskey, downing it in one long guzzle before slamming it back down on his table.

"This is a bit of a bizarre choice if I do say so myself." said one of the news anchors, "One would think Allen would choose Thawne, the highest-ranked hero in his agency."

"I would think so too," said the other anchor, "I guess Allen just wants to keep the Flash name a family name."

Thawne growled, flinging the empty whiskey bottle at the TV. Time slowed to a crawl as the bottle floated to a stop in midair.

"Goddamn it." said Thawne, sighing as he got up and strutted over to the bottle, plucking it out of the air.

"Mr. Allen will be holding a party to celebrate the occasion." said the news anchor, "It will be held at the Flash Museum."

Thawne felt his phone buzz, taking it out of his pocket to find a variety of messages from Barry. While said messages were mostly to inform Thawne of Barry's decision and also included an invitation to the Party, Thawne didn't care about any of it.

"You want to spit in my face Barry?" said Thawne, "Fine, I'll spit in your grave."

Putting the phone away, Thawne drew himself an evil grin, "Time to put my master plan into action."

* * *

The Flash Museum was abuzz with activity as numerous guests walked its hallways. Waiters served drinks as the various heroes of the Flash agency mingled about. Thawne walked in through the front doors, clad in a suit and tie.

"Thawne, you made it!" said Wally, walking over to Thawne and patting him on the back.

"Yes...I did." said Thawne, "Where's Barry?"

"He's in front of the stage we set up in the cosmic treadmill exhibit." said Wally, "Go ahead, I'll catch up with you."

Thawne nodded, walking towards the stage area. Walking into the large room, he gazed upon multiple rows of foldable chairs set up in front of a wooden stage. Thawne spotted Bart standing nervously on top of the stage, noticing that Barry was there with him. Barry's hand was on Bart's shoulder and he seemed to be consoling the young man. Thawne's fists clenched in silent fury, but soon they untightened.

"Not yet." whispered Thawne.

Barry's gaze drifted until it landed on Thawne, "Ah, Eobard!"

Barry sped up to Thawne, practically tackling him with a hug, "So glad you could make it!"

Thawne was taken aback by the unexpected affection, "Oh! I uh, didn't expect that."

"Expect what?" said Barry, "Wally and I's retirement or the hug?"

"Both I guess." said Thawne, "What's next for you?"

"I'll probably settle down with Patty," said Barry, "I've wanted to do that for a while now, but felt that the people needed the Flash. Now that Bart is old enough and experienced enough to take the Flash mantle, I can finally retire."

Thawne put on a smile, fake as it was, "Might I ask why you chose him?"

Barry's eyes narrowed, detecting an ulterior motive from Thawne's questions, "I chose Bart because he was the best choice, no other reason."

Thawne hid it well, but mentally speaking, he was exploding.

_GODDAMN LIAR! YOU EVEN DID IT TO MY FACE!_

On the outside, Thawne kept his composure, "I'll be sure to congratulate him personally."

"Of course," said Barry, "You are handing him the costume."

"What?" said Thawne.

"Since you're our top hero now." said Barry, "I want you to do the honors of giving Bart his new outfit onstage."

The veins in Thawne's hands popped, "I'll do it, sir."

"Thank you," said Barry, "I'll make my speech then let you do the honors."

Barry patted Thawne on the shoulder before walking off to meet with his wife. Thawne could barely contain himself.

_Now that bastard is just rubbing it in my face!_

Thawne looked to the center of the room to distract himself, spotting the cosmic treadmill itself. The treadmill was an invention of Barry's during his more scientific years and it was designed to let a speedster go back or forward in time. Ultimately, after some adventures in the time stream, Barry sealed the treadmill off due to risks to space and time and coded it to only allow himself to use it.

_Hmm, hope you still work, little guy._

* * *

"Welcome everyone!" announced Barry, wielding a microphone, "I'm sure you were all shocked by the retirement of myself and mister West."

All the guests nodded in their chairs. While the entirety of the Flash agency was here, most were family members or friends of the Agency as well as everyday citizens. Thawne watched from the back, eyeing the stage with envy.

"We chose to retire less due to our age," said Barry, "But to spend more time with family. Wally wants to be there for his kids and I want to be there for my wife a little more."

Barry spotted Patty in the crowd, waving at her, "I love you more than anything Patty, let's hope for another 50 years."

Patty was a blonde woman with a similar age to Barry. She smiled, waving back at Barry with her other hand on her heart.

"But enough of that." said Barry, "Let's move on to Bart."

Wally leads Bart onstage in his Kid Flash costume, though Bart is shuffling about nervously.

"I chose Bart because he best embodies what the Flash is about." said Barry, "The fact that my grandson has managed to get this far in the hero life makes me proud to be his grandparent."

Barry smiled, giving Bart a hug before giving him the microphone.

"I...Hello!" said Bart, "I'm Bart Allen, Kid Flash-I mean Flash! I'll be honest, I didn't expect to be granted the mantle my grandfather carries, but I'll do my best to live up to his legacy!"

Wally took the Mic, "The new Flash everybody!"

The crowd roared with applause, causing Thawne's teeth to grit against each other in anger.

"Now," said Barry, "Our most prestigious member, Eobard Thawne, will hand Bart the Flash costume!"

The crowd clapped deafeningly as Thawne pulled out the Flash costume.

_This should have been mine. MINE DAMNIT!_

Thawne walked onto the stage, staring Bart in the eyes as he shuffled right in front of Bart. Bart looked over the costume with a nervous glance.

"I know you wanted this." said Bart.

Suddenly, all of Thawne's anger seemed to drop away, what did Bart mean.

"You've made it clear from the very beginning that your life's dream was to be the Flash." said Bart, "It must be awful that I was chosen in your stead."

Thawne looked at Bart with heavy eyes.

"I promise you Thawne," said Bart, taking the costume, "I'll live up to Barry, for both our sakes."

And just like that, Thawne's anger came roaring back, "You won't get the chance."

"What?" said Bart.

With lightning speed, Thawne reached his open hand towards Bart's chest. Plunging his hand through Bart's ribcage, Thawne wrapped his hand around Bart's heart before savagely pulling it out of his chest. Bart sputtered, blood beginning to drip from his mouth before he fell onto his back, dead.

"BART!" shouted Barry, "THAWNE, WHAT DID YOU-"

Thawne raced towards Barry, cracking him across the face with a punch, knocking him out. Moving on to Wally, Thawne grabbed him before tossing him off the stage and into the chairs. At this point, the crowd had just begun to process the violence before them and many of the civilians began to scream in terror.

"Head for the exits!" shouted Wally, "I'll hold him off!"

Thawne smirked, "No you won't."

Thawne blitzed by Wally, grabbing various bits and pieces of equipment and blocking all the exits.

"Oh god there's no way out!" shouted a civilian.

Thawne sped back up to the stage, grabbing the Microphone dropped by Wally, "Ladies and Gentlemen, before I begin slaughtering all of you, I want you to know something."

The civilians and the Flash agency heroes stood back as Thawne stripped himself of his tuxedo, revealing his yellow costume underneath. Thawne pulled the mask over his head, gaining an evil smile, "This wouldn't have happened if Barry Allen didn't choose the wrong person."

Dropping the mic, Thawne jumped into the crowd, grabbing and snapping the necks of every civilian he came across while ignoring the heroes. It didn't matter if they were a man, a woman, or a child, Thawne would grab them by the head and twist until he heard that oh so satisfying pop.

Making it to Patty, Thawne knew he had to make this one special. Grabbing her by the head, Thawne twisted extra hard, watching as Patty's head practically popped off her shoulders.

Arriving at the back, Thawne turned around, watching the heroes immediately began to drop to their knees.

"My son!" shouted one hero.

"DAD!" shouted another hero.

Wally cradled a woman with black hair, "Linda." he whispered with tears in his eyes.

"I got them all out of the way." said Thawne, "I wanted to have everyone fight me not as an old comrade, but as an enemy."

Wally looked up at Thawne in anger, gently placing the woman down, "You want that? You've got it."

One by one, other heroes began to stand up, fists tightened as they approached Thawne.

"We will avenge our families." said one hero.

"We will bring you to justice." said another hero.

"You're irredeemable Thawne." said Wally.

Thawne clenched his fists, "You'll all pay for Allen's folly!"

Thawne raced forward, throwing himself into the heroes' attacks. Thawne was merciless, killing most heroes with a single strike to the neck or heart. Some heroes managed to gang up on him, landing a few blows on the speedster, but it was all for naught as Thawne returned to favor, killing them all. Soon, Wally was the only one left standing.

"RAH!" shouted Wally, cracking Thawne across the jaw and laying into him with more punches. Despite Wally's age, he was still a speedster and still fast.

Thawne stumbled back, his nose bleeding as he realized it was going to take more effort to kill Wally. Running around the room, Thawne began to rethink his strategy as Wally chased him down.

"GET BACK HERE!" shouted Wally, pain in his voice.

As Wally was just catching up to Thawne, time slowed down around Thawne once more. Turning around, Thawne noticed that Wally had slowed down too.

"What?" said Thawne, "But if he has the speed force shouldn't he-"

And that's when it hit Thawne.

_I don't have the same speed force as the others. I have some sort of anti-speed force. A negative speed force._

Thawne looked at his own blood-soaked hands.

_Heh, good for me._

Walking up to Wally, Thawne vibrated his open hand before plunging it into Wally's forehead. As time sped up again, Wally's body slumped to the floor, motionless. Thawne smirked, satisfied that everyone in the room was dead. Everyone except-

"Barry." said Thawne, walking over to his unconscious mentor. While Thawne was still fully intent on taking his revenge all the way, he still felt a pang of guilt over doing this to his old friend.

"Damn it Barry." said Thawne, "Why'd you have to do this to me?"

* * *

"Ugh." groaned Barry.

"Wake up Barry." said Thawne, "Wake up."

Barry's eyes glazed open, his eyes starting to dart around the room. Barry's mouth went wide open when he glanced at all the bodies on the floor.

"Don't bother screaming Barry," said Thawne, "I've already killed everyone, it's just us now. I do admit that Wally put up the best fight though, props to him."

Barry felt his hands and feet, realizing they were bound together by rope, "Patty. Wally. Bart."

Tears began to fall from Barry's eyes as Thawne worked on a piece of machinery, "Don't worry Barry, you'll join them soon enough."

"Why are you doing this Thawne." asked Barry, "I thought we were friends!"

"So did I," said Thawne, "but it turns out one of us is a lying bastard!"

"What are you talking about?!" said Barry, "I've never lied to you!"

"You've known that my entire life has built up to becoming the Flash!" shouted Thawne, "I dedicated every waking moment I had to honor your legacy and what do I get? You handing off your mantle to your own blood over the obvious best choice just to spite me!"

Barry looked at Thawne, "That's what this is about?! Bart taking on the mantle?!"

"Why?!" wailed Thawne, turning around to face Barry with tears in his eyes, "Why didn't you choose me?!"

Barry paused for a moment, taking deep breaths while waiting for the tears to dry up, "Bart was the best choice."

"LIAR!" shouted Thawne, throwing a wrench at Barry and cracking him right in the nose, causing it to bleed.

Tears kept falling out of Thawne's eyes as he continued, "You chose him because he was your grandson! I was always more skilled, more capable, more deserving!"

Thawne sniffled, dropping to his knees, "You ruined my life."

Barry looked at Thawne with somber eyes, "So you've come to ruin mine. Go ahead, you've already taken everyone in my life. Finish your vengeance and let that be the end of it."

Thawne looked up, staring Barry in the eyes, "As much as you want that, It's not enough for me. It isn't justice for the life you invalidated."

Standing up, Thawne stepped out of the way, revealing the cosmic treadmill, "That's why I'm going to invalidate your life, by going back to the beginning."

Barry's eyes widened, "It'll never work without me."

"I know," said Thawne, grabbing Barry and trying him the front of the treadmill, "That's why you're coming with me."

Barry's heart raced as he tried to struggle against his bonds, "Thawne don't do this!"

"After what you did," said Thawne, stepping onto the treadmill, "there's no way I'm backing out."

Thawne began to run on the treadmill, generating power while activating the machine using Barry's presence.

"THAWNE NO!" shouted Barry as lightning began to radiate from the treadmill, "STOP!"

"I just want you to know Barry," said Thawne, "You brought this on yourself."

The cosmic treadmill whirred to life as a huge bolt of lightning exploded from the machine, sending both men into the timestream. Barry screamed in pain as Thawne continued driving them through time.

*BOOM!*

The treadmill landed in a forest, it's monitor displaying that they had traveled nearly 70 years into the past.

"I've done it!" said Thawne, "I'm here!"

Thawne threw his fists into the air in victory.

"HUGH!"

Thawne looked down at Barry, whose skin was starting to turn gray. Racing to the front of the treadmill, Thawne noticed pieces of Barry were starting to flake off as if they were dust.

"Ah, sorry Barry." said Thawne, untying Barry from the treadmill and cradling him, "It seems using you as a personal keycard to the treadmill may have had unintended side effects."

Barry's mouth opened to speak, but his vocal cords had already disintegrated.

"You know, as much as I hate you for what you did Barry," said Thawne, "I still can't help but feel sad."

Barry's eyes met Thawne's eyes, "I'll live up to your legacy Barry, just you wait."

And with that, Barry's form went limp, his body disintegrating into ash. Thawne got onto his feet, stretching his arms and legs before getting into a sprinting position, "I'm coming Barry, I'm coming."

* * *

In the present day, Thawne released Barry from his grasp, watching him fall to the ground. Barry could hardly catch his breath, having trouble processing the massive speed force shock of knowledge sent directly to his brain.

"Now you see Barry." said Thawne, "Now you understand why I hate you."

"You killed me and everyone I knew in the future, then came back to torture me and my friends in the present," Barry said incredulously, "because I didn't let you be me?!"

"DAMN YOU!" shouted Thawne, punching Barry across the face, "The Flash is more than a mantle, it represents hope, love, fame! I wanted that and you didn't let me have it!"

Barry coughed up blood, unable to get up due to his broken arms.

"You broke my heart Barry," said Thawne, "So I'm gonna break you!"

It was then that Barry heard the pained scream of Midoriya.

"No!" sputtered Barry.

"Uh oh!" said Thawne, "Looks like your friends came up short saving Bakugou. Let's go say hello!"

Grabbing Barry by the head, Thawne raced off towards the screaming.

Within seconds, Thawne slid to a stop in the clearing, holding Barry's limp body up by the head for all to see. While Midoriya had gone into shock and was now unconscious, Todoroki, Uraraka, Tsuyu, Shoji, Tokoyami, and Aoyama were still conscious.

Thawne whistled, getting their attention, "Take a good look!"

As his classmates turned to face Thawne, many of their eyes widened upon seeing Barry's broken and mangled form. While Midoriya had broken his limbs on multiple occasions, this was a whole other level entirely. Aoyama resisted the urge to vomit while Tsuyu and Uraraka put their hands over their mouths in shock.

"You failed to save your friend!" shouted Thawne, "I wonder how differently things would have gone if Barry here hadn't run off with me to settle our personal score?"

Barry desperately tried to get a word out, trying to tell his friends to run, but Thawne had beaten him so badly he couldn't even find the strength to speak.

"I'd love to break Barry's heart even more than it's already been broken by killing you all in front of him, but he's had a long rough night." said Thawne, "So I'll settle for a broken spine."

Letting go of Barry, Thawne vibrated his fist before hitting Barry in the back harder than he's ever been hit before. Barry's body bent backward as he felt his spinal cord snap like a twig. He landed face-first in the dirt, feeling the thunderous vibrations of Thawne's footsteps as Thawne sprinted away, exiting the valley in seconds.

Barry could hear someone speaking, yelling his name even, as Todoroki ran to his side, pushing his body onto it's back. Barry could see Todoroki in a state of distress, desperately trying to speak to him, but he couldn't hear anything nor feel anything except for the tears pouring from his eyes.

He went over what happened in his mind, how desperately he tried to protect his friends from the Rogues, only to have Reverse Flash hurt them all. How Thawne had destroyed his future, further deepening Barry's trauma. Even worse, Barry could only speculate that Thawne had killed his mother.

Today, Eobard Thawne won, because, at that very second, Barry Allen was the most broken boy on the planet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, The end of the Thawne origin and the Training Camp Arc. Soul-Crushing stuff right?


	51. All My Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A life shattered! As Jay Garrick and the rest of the UA teachers plan a counterattack on the villains, Barry must recover from his own injuries as well as the revelation of who Thawne is and what he wants.

"Dear God," said Jay, "I should have seen this coming."

The medical workers loaded dozens of hurt students into the ambulances, some more hurt than others. Most were still unconscious from the nasty wounds they sustained from Thawne's massacre, but luckily they were all alive.

Unfortunately, that didn't exactly ease Jay's mind.

"It wasn't your fault."

Aizawa walked up to Jay from behind, placing his hand on his partner's shoulder.

"Of course it was," said Jay, "I knew of Thawne's existence, I should have taken the proper precautions."

"You didn't know for sure," said Aizawa, "don't blame yourself and focus on how we're going to hunt these monsters down."

Jay looked back at Aizawa, "It's going to be difficult, Thawne is an exceptionally skilled and dangerous enemy."

"We'll figure it out." said Aizawa, "There's always a way these scumbags go down."

Suddenly, a new pack of medical officers burst onto the scene, carrying 2 very familiar students in on stretchers.

"BARRY!" shouted Jay, speeding over to the boy. The young hero was caked in his own blood, bruised all over, and sported broken bones poking out of his arms.

"Is he alright?!" said Jay, grabbing a medical worker, "Is he going to be alright?!"

"We don't know!" said the worker, frightened, "He has to be attended to first!"

Jay, realizing he was getting in the way, stepped back and allowed the workers to keep doing their jobs. Aizawa sighed, walking up to Jay's side.

"The students weren't the only ones hurt," said Aizawa, "Ragdoll is missing, though from the looks of the scene she lost a lot of blood. Vlad and Pixie-Bob were also beaten to hell."

"Did we at least catch a few of them?" asked Jay.

Aizawa nodded, "Moonfish, Mustard, and Muscular were all apprehended as well as Captain Cold, Weather Wizard, and Captain Boomerang of the Rogues."

Jay nodded, "Damn, I hoped Thawne would be caught."

Aizawa took a deep, albeit shaky breath, drawing Jay's attention.

"What's wrong Chum?" asked Jay.

"I've failed my students," said Aizawa, "I was charged to teach them, protect them, and now they're injured beyond belief."

Aizawa hid his face from Jay, but it was clear that he was in a state of guilt, "I just hope I can make up for that by helping put away the villains that hurt them."

Jay nodded, "We will Aizawa, we will."

* * *

The following weeks were chaotic, to be frank. News of the capture of Bakugou and the horrific injuries dealt against the students reached certain ears, and now the media has taken advantage of the story. Various news sources used the event as an opportunity to criticize and in some cases outright slandering the UA name. Jay watched it all unfold on the television in the teacher's lounge.

_As much as I believe in freedom of the press, these people sure seem to want that rule ruined._

*Knock*

Jay looks to the lounge door, spotting Aizawa.

"We need you for a meeting." said Aizawa, "Come with me."

Jay nodded, speeding over to Aizawa's side as the two walked down the hall. Jay noted the lack of students on UA grounds, a result of the cancellation of all classes due to the villain attacks. Arriving at the meeting room, Aizawa grabbed a seat on the table with Midnight, All-Might, Snipe, Nezu, and Present-Mic.

"Mr. Garrick." said Nezu, "Please take a seat."

Sitting at the table, Jay watched as Nezu began the meeting, "Good news, we seem to have acquired the means to locate the base of our enemies. Explain All-Might."

All-Might stood up, "One of the students, Yaoyorozu, attached a tracking device to one of the Nomu during the attack on the camp. The plan is for her to construct a gadget that lets us track the device's location. It should lead us to their hideout."

Jay's eyes widened, "Then we can apprehend these monsters and rescue Bakugou."

Aizawa nodded, "However, there is the question of Eobard Thawne."

Jay straightened his posture, realizing why he was here, "You didn't just call me in to help. You called me in so I could inform you of everything I know about Thawne."

Nezu nodded, "While I hold a vast amount of faith in our heroes, the ease in which this Thawne dismantled my students worries me. We need to know everything you know, and how we might be able to stop him."

Jay frowned, taking off his tin helmet, "Thawne is Barry Allen's greatest enemy."

"Allen?" said Midnight, "But he's just a boy, how could he make a mortal enemy at that age."

"He didn't," said Jay, "because Thawne is from the future."

The rest of the room was taken aback by the statement, sporting faces of disbelief.

"The future?" said Snipe, "He has a quirk that involves time travel as well?"

"It's part of the speed force." said Jay, "Barry, me, Thawne, we're called speedsters since we tap into the speed force for our powers. The fastest speedsters can generate enough velocity to break the time barrier and move through the timestream to a point in the past or future."

Jay's eyes hardened, "But doing it on your own is an unreliable strategy since more often than not you won't know where you're going in the time stream and get dumped in a random time. That's why you need what's called a cosmic treadmill."

"A cosmic treadmill?" said Nezu.

"It's a device built by Barry, at least my dimension's Barry built one." said Jay, "It allows a speedster to funnel their energy into a device that, with the proper time inputted, would take them down the right paths in the time stream and arrive at the point in time the speedster wanted to go to."

"That explains how Thawne arrived," said Present Mic, "But why the hell does he hate Allen so much?"

"The inciting incident is usually on Barry's end," said Jay, "Though it's never an act of villainy or evil. It's always Thawne's own muddled mind that perceives it as such. He's insane, and that's all that matters."

"Not exactly," said All-Might, "We need to know how to stop him."

Jay nodded, "On my Earth, Barry was always fast enough to stop Thawne, but that isn't the case here. He's too young."

"I agree, we can't put any students at risk, especially considering the media's reaction to the attack." said Midnight.

"That's why we need to think outside the box." said Nezu, "I have an idea, but it'll take a few hours to execute. We meet back in 3 hours."

* * *

_You broke my heart Barry, so now I'm gonna break you!_

Barry's eyes shot open in the hospital room, a variety of casts and blood bags littering his body. The sun was setting through the window as Barry checked around the room.

_Where...is everyone?_

Then everything caught up to Barry. The camp, Thawne, the Rogues, everything.

_Oh no, Thawne._

Barry began to panic, where were his friends? What did Thawne do to them? Barry sat up, seeing that he was the only person in the room. As he began to pull out the blood bags, the door creaked open.

"B-Barry?"

Barry turned to find Mina had peeked her head inside, though most of the top of said head was bandaged up.

"Mina?" said Barry, "What are you doing here, where is everyone else?"

"Most of us are stuck here." said Mina, "The villains got us good."

Barry stared at Mina's head, noting the lack of horns, "Who did that?"

"The horns?" said Mina, "It was a fast Villain, he called himself the Reverse-Flash."

There it was, Barry's worst nightmare realized. Turning away from Mina, Barry began to tear up.

"I-I'm sorry." said Barry.

"Sorry for what?" said Mina, "Barry?"

"I did this." said Barry, "Reverse-Flash's doing all of this to hurt me."

"Barry." said Mina, "Don't say that."

"I should have at least told you." said Barry, avoiding Mina's gaze, "You're my friend, I should have trusted you with what I was hiding."

"Barry, slow down." said Mina, "I know he's somehow involved with you, he told me while we were fighting."

Barry whirled around, tears falling down his eyes, "What did he say?!"

"Barry-"

"What did he say?!" shouted Barry.

Taken aback by the aggression, Mina responded, "H-He said that everything that was happening to us was your fault."

Crestfallen, Barry slumped back into his bed, "He's right."

"What?!" said Mina, "Barry, you're being ridiculous. Whoever this guy is you can't be responsible for his actions."

"But I am!" said Barry, "You don't understand he showed me where he came from, what happened to him!"

"Stop it!" said Mina, grabbing Barry by his hospital gown, "Just stop!"

"Mina?!" said Barry, surprised by the sudden accostment.

"It doesn't matter what this guy's shown you!" shouted Mina, "He's making his own decisions!"

"I-I have to avenge you!" said Barry, "I-"

"Don't! Just don't." said Mina, pulling Barry into a hug, "With everything that's happened, this isn't the time to blame ourselves or jump into action."

Barry couldn't even say anything back, a look of pure shock on his face. Is she really forgiving him after what happened to her?

Mina pulled away, pointing at the area where the horns were snapped off, "It hurt a lot when they came off, but they'll grow back eventually!"

Barry felt touched by Mina's words, surprised that she had chosen to forgive him.

"I...thank you Mina." said Barry, "I'm thankful to have a friend like you."

Mina smiled, "Me too Barry, I just don't want you jumping the gun. It's clear you've been through a lot lately, we all have."

*Creak*

The door swung open as a doctor walked into the room.

"Sorry Miss," said the doctor, "but I have to give Mr. Allen his analysis."

"Oh, I see." said Mina, clearly disappointed.

"If it's any consolation, your friend Midoriya woke up down the hall." said the doctor, "Everyone's seeing him now."

Mina's face lit up, "Someone else is awake too! Great!"

Mina got up and walked over to the door, waving goodbye to Barry as she left. The doctor smiled, walking up to Barry, "You're lucky to have a girlfriend like that."

"Oh she's not my girlfriend," said Barry, "Just my friend."

"Well, whoever she is," said the doctor, "it's probably best she didn't hear what I have to tell you now."

Barry's expression darkened, "What is it?"

The doctor pulled out a sheet of paper, "Your wounds were extensive after the attack, you were on the surgeon's table for 3 days straight. Luckily, with the expertise of one Doctor Miracle, as well as assistance from Recovery girl and your own quirk, most of your body has healed over these past weeks."

_Weeks? Have I been out that long?_

"Broken bones, open wounds, it's all been fully healed." said the doctor, "All except one thing."

Barry reached his hand backward, feeling his back.

"Your spinal cord was severed, most people never recover from that." said the doctor, "Somehow, we were able to miraculously reconnect your spine, likely due to the healing quirks working in tandem. However, it's not fully healed as of right now. Walking and maybe a little running should be fine, but considering your speed quirk I'd suggest caution. If you go too fast before you've fully recovered, you could easily end up a paraplegic."

Barry looked down, "I'd be paralyzed."

"Yes," said the doctor, "that's it for now. You should see your friends, they'd be happy to see you."

"No...I think I'll stay here for now." said Barry, looking away.

The doctor reached out, only to rescind his hand and exit the room as Barry looked out the window from his bed.

_If I run too fast, I could end my chance at being a hero._

Barry looked back at the door, knowing that his fellow students walked its halls, wounded by Reverse-Flash. Despite Mina's words, Barry was still extremely torn up by Thawne's actions.

_I'm thankful for Mina forgiving me, she's always been the best of us, but I can't let what Thawne did to me and my friends go._

Barry's fists tightened.

_I swear that when I get out of this bed Thawne, I'm going to hunt you down to the ends of the Earth and bring you to justice._

A small spark of lightning dashed across Barry's eyes.

_I promise it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Back with a new shorter chapter! The rest of the Hospital scene will play out next chapter I swear!


	52. A Plan Comes Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparations! As Jay Garrick and the rest of the heroes come up with a way to combat Thawne, Barry and his classmates make a plan to save Bakugou.

"You want me to do what?!"

Harrison Wells leaned back in his chair at his S.T.A.R. Labs office, his eyes wide with surprise at the blueprint laid out on his desk. Sitting across from him was the UA principal Nezu and the hero Jay Garrick also known as Flash!

"We want you to build this gadget," said Nezu, "this design will be crucial for a job that needs doing."

"I can see that," said Wells, "but this is a massively complex machine, how did you come up with it so quickly?"

Nezu shifted in his chair, "I'm a creature of science much like yourself, I live and breathe quantum physics and cosmic knowhow."

"Well," said Wells, "as good as your knowledge on quantum physics is, you don't seem to have the resources to create it."

"We do," said Nezu, "but we would rather have someone more well versed in this kind of technology, Plus I'm small and can't build it myself."

Wells nodded, "Alright, I'll send it down to the Development team. The device will be ready in a few hours."

Jay nodded, "Thank you."

Wells smiled, "You're very welcome."

Wells watched as Nezu and Jay got up from their seats and walked out of the office, taking a trip down to the now operational Particle Accelerator. Through the reinforced window, Jay observed the rainbow of colors racing around the accelerator's circular hall.

"Beautiful isn't it." said Nezu, "I come here every once and a while just to observe the vast potential of the cosmic energy being harnessed."

"This powers the whole city," said Jay, "and it's completely clean to boot."

"A wonder of the speed force," said Nezu, "It's no wonder Barry's actions resulted in a gift like this."

Jay looked surprised, "Barry did this?"

"Mere days before he reappeared with you," said Nezu, "he's fascinating to study."

"Study?" said Jay.

"In two specific senses," said Nezu, ignoring the fact that Jay interrupted him, "For one, his power set is so similar and yet so different from ours. Everyone in this world was born with their quirk, but Barry gained his power after the fact. Seeing such a fantastical circumstance makes for an excellent observation. In another sense, it's been heartwarming seeing him among the many students grow to become a hero."

Jay nodded, "He's a good kid, always has been."

"But his circumstances, both in the past and in the present, are disturbing." said Nezu, "We must hope that he doesn't do anything rash that puts himself off that heroic path."

* * *

"Alright, try now." said the doctor.

Barry grabbed hold of the crutches, taking a deep breath before hoisting himself up from his hospital bed. He could feel pressure on his spine that made his entire back feel flimsy, but he pushed through the feeling, standing up straight.

"Nice!" said the doctor, "The crutches are just to help your spine adjust to being upright, you should be walking by tomorrow."

"Thank you doctor," said Barry, "can I see my friends?"

"Most of them have recovered and have headed home to their parents," said the doctor, "Speaking of which I got a note from your foster father."

"Forrest?!" said Barry, "Let me see it!"

The doctor pulled out a slip of paper from his coat, handing it to Barry, who scanned over it.

_Dear Barry,_

_I'm so sorry I can't go and see you, but after the villain attack, the police force has been working overtime. I haven't been able to take even a moment off to make sure you're ok, but the doctors have kept me well informed. In a few days, I'll be sure to visit. Stay safe._

_Love, Forrest._

"It's unfortunate he can't be here." said the doctor.

"No, I understand." said Barry, pocketing the paper, "Back to my classmates, is there anywhere I can speak to who's still here?"

"Yeah, follow me," said the doctor, "They're in the group area."

* * *

As the doctor opened the door to the group area, a small group of his friends sat in a sort of comfort area with chairs and a TV. Iida looked the best, sporting leg engines that looked newer than the ones he had before. Kaminari sat closest to the TV, his head completely bandaged. Midoriya, Kirishima, and Todoroki sat at a table near the entrance while Sato napped on one of the couches.

"Barry!" said Kirishima, jumping out of the chair to reveal that both his arms were in casts. He ran over to Barry, nearly hugging him before realizing that it might hurt and simply settling with a nod, "You're up!"

"Yeah, I should be walking by tomorrow actually!" said Barry, "What happened to you?!"

"Some fast guy!" said Kirishima, "Broke both my arms at the same time, but the casts will be off within the hour!"

While Barry put on a smile, he secretly felt a large amount of guilt towards his friend. The fact that he got hurt so badly by Thawne really put Barry in a bad headspace despite Mina's insistence that it wasn't his fault.

"What happened to the others?" asked Barry.

"Midoriya was wounded due to a bunch of different things and you know why I got hurt." said Todoroki, gesturing to both the bandaged up Midoriya and his own shoulder, "Jiro and Toruu were knocked out by the gas, they still haven't woken up. Yaoyorozu also took a blow to the head and just woke up yesterday."

Barry's eyes hardened, "What about the people attacked by the speed villain?"

"Some of us got off lucky, only coming away with nasty bruises" said Kirishima, "Sero, Monoma, and Kota all got out of the hospital pretty early and Mineta and Mina just got released yesterday with minor head injuries."

Kirishima glanced over to the rest of the room, "The rest of us weren't so lucky. Ojiro's entire tale was broken, but he got released this morning. Iida's engines were torn out, but apparently they grow back more powerful than ever. Still, I doubt it was pleasant having them yanked out."

Barry frowned, imagining the pain Iida went through.

"Sato's throat got screwed up real bad, so he's not speaking to let his vocal cords heal. Kaminari's brain got completely fried, but he's slated to make a full recovery in a week or two." said Kirishima, "All in all, we won't be down for long."

_It would have been best if you guys didn't go down in the first place. I shouldn't have let that happen._

"I..." said Barry, contemplating an apology, "I'm sorry for what happened."

"Sorry? It's not like you were the one who got us all injured!" said Kirishima.

The words cut at Barry's heart, even if Kirishima's intentions were for the opposite to happen, "What about Bakugou?"

The entire table went silent, at which point Barry knew that Bakugou was for sure captured.

"I never expected someone like Bakugou to be captured." said Barry, "What did they want with him?"

"I don't know," said Midoriya, "but from the media's point of view, the villains are looking to turn him to their side."

Barry chuckled, "That's a load of hot BS. Bakugou might be a little...aggressive, but he's set on being a hero, there's no way he's gonna get turned."

"At which point they'll probably kill him." said Todoroki.

"Todoroki!" said Midoriya, "Don't say stuff like that out loud."

"I don't like it any more than you do, but it's the truth." said Todoroki, "So we have a plan."

"A plan?" said Barry, "What are you talking about."

Midoriya leaned closer, whispering to Barry, "We're going to rescue Bakugou."

Barry's eyes widened, "What? How?!"

Kirishima leaned in close, "During the camp attack, Yaoyorozu planted a tracking beacon on an attacking nomu. She's making a tracker for the heroes in order for them to lead a raid on the villain's headquarters."

"That's great!" said Barry, secretly horrified by what Thawne might do when the heroes strike, "But why are we going too?"

Midoriya's look hardened, "I had a chance to save Bakugo before he was taken, so did Todoroki. We both need to make up for our failures."

"Plus You and Bakugou are my best friends!" said Kirishima, "I can't let the league of villains keep him!"

Barry glanced away, hiding his face. He also failed to save Bakugou, having failed to stop Thawne in time or at all.

"So the plan is to ask Yaoyorozu for another tracker and use that to find Bakugou?" asked Barry.

Todoroki nodded, "Yes, exactly."

"Say no more," said Barry, "I'm in."

Kirishima's face lit up, "I knew you would help!"

Kirishima jumped out his chair to hug Barry again, but realized his casts were on and was once again forced to sit down, "Oh, and don't tell anyone else about this."

"Why?" asked Barry.

"They weren't exactly...supportive of the plan." said Todoroki.

"Just don't worry anyone unnecessarily." said Midoriya.

Barry struggled to a standing position with his crutches, "Where do we meet?"

"Just outside the hospital." said Kirishima, "Be as quiet as possible."

Barry nodded, "Alright, I'm gonna rest until then."

"Ok, just be ready." said Todoroki.

Barry turned around and left the group area, pushing open the doors with his crutches. As he began to walk down the hallway, he heard the doors to the group area swing open before closing again. Turning around, Barry came face to face with Iida.

"Iida," said Barry, "Looking good."

"As are you," said Iida, "I overheard that you'll be off the crutches by tomorrow."

"You heard right." said Barry.

Barry looked closely at Iida's face, noticing the lines on his forehead. Something was upsetting Iida.

"Is something wro-"

"I hope you haven't decided to go along with that ridiculous plan!" said Iida.

Barry was taken aback, "Wait, you know about that?"

"Kirishima pitched it to the whole class!" said Iida, "And as expected of us, we both declined and demanded that our fools for classmates not go ahead with this suicidal idea!"

Barry's eyebrows furrowed, "It's not like that! We have to help save Bakugou!"

"It's not our place!" said Iida, "We have to let the heroes handle it!"

"What if they can't?!" said Barry, "You went up against someone so fast they hurt everyone at the lodge in seconds, imagine what he'll do to the heroes!"

Iida stood firm, "It's not our place."

"You can't be serious!" said Barry.

"You know, Tsuyu said something on this matter." said Iida, "She said that no matter how just your feelings, if you're saying you'll break the law to rescue Bakugou you're acting in the same way a villain would!"

Barry gritted his teeth in anger, "If I had to choose between breaking the rules and letting a friend die I'd definitely pick breaking the rules as any good friend would!"

"But that's not all there is to this is there?!" said Iida.

Barry's anger was swept away in an instant, replaced by complete and utter confusion.

"I believe you when you say you truly want to rescue Bakugou, I don't doubt that." said Iida, "But I heard you talking to Mina back in your hospital room."

Barry's eyes widened, "What did you hear?"

"I heard enough." said Iida, "This speed villain, this Thawne, he's obviously done grievous harm to you in more ways than one. I saw your face when Mina was hugging you, you were comforted, but clearly still angry with what happened."

"Of course I would be angry!" said Barry, fury in his voice, "He hurt my friends! He hurt you! And this isn't even mentioning the other horrible things he's done!"

"You must leave him to the heroes Barry," said Iida, "and you must leave behind any ideas of revenge."

That set off a fuse in Barry's head, "Are you kidding me?! You're asking me to just let it all go?!"

"No!" said Iida, "I'm asking you to let the heroes do their jobs!"

"This is personal between me and Thawne!" said Barry, "I have to bring him down!"

"Assuming you're even strong enough to do that, what will you do when you actually catch him?!" demanded Iida.

Barry was about to screech out an answer, but after hearing himself in his head, he stopped at the last moment. But as his mouth hung open, Iida knew what answer he was about to provide.

"Even if you do defeat him," said Iida, "I cannot let you potentially make a mistake that will haunt you forever!"

Barry's look hardened, "I'm done with this. Let me go to my room."

As Barry turn around to walk back to his room, Iida jumped in front of him.

"Iida," said Barry, "get out of the way."

"Not until I convince you to avoid this course of action!" said Iida.

"I said get out of my way!" shouted Barry, lifting his crutch and jabbing Iida hard in the foot.

"ACK!" yelped Iida, angrily shoving Barry with both hands on a reaction. Barry gasped, falling onto his back as his crutches flew out of his hands. He felt a painful feeling spike in his spine as he hit the ground, eliciting a grunt.

Iida's eyes widened in horror, "Barry!"

Iida grabbed the crutched before helping Barry up by the arm, "Barry I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

Barry growled, pushing Iida to the side with one hand as he placed his crutches where they were supposed to be.

"Just...don't get in our way." said Barry, walking down the hall and away from a somber Iida.

* * *

Barry made it to his room, sitting down on his hospital bed and laying the crutches to the side. Lying down, Barry began to think about what had just transpired.

_I'm doing the right thing, aren't I?_

While it was clear that Barry wanted to save Bakugou, Iida's words unearthed a dark truth. Maybe, deep down, Barry wasn't teaming up to save Bakugou. Maybe he was teaming up as a way to use his friends to get to Thawne. Not only that, but if and when Barry caught Thawne, would he have the willpower to not succumb to his own hatred and murder him on the spot?

Barry wanted to have answers to these questions, but no matter how hard he thought about it, he could not arrive at a single conclusion.

Barry suddenly felt a presence in the room, watching over him like a shadow. Barry frowned, assuming it was Iida again trying to apologize.

"Go away Iida," said Barry, turning around, "you've already said your piec-"

Barry's eyes popped out of their sockets when he laid eyes on who was really watching him.

A golden angel.

She floated above Barry, her hair seemingly filling the entire room. She was clothed in a white and golden dress and had a yellow line painted across her eyes. She levitated to easily, her mere sight mesmerizing

"W-Who are you?!" said Barry.

"You know who I am Flash." whispered the angel.

Barry's mind raced.

_How does she know my hero name?! Why does she look so familiar?!_

As Barry continued to gaze at the angel, everything suddenly clicked.

"It's you!" said Barry, "You're Lisa Snart, The Golden Glider!"


	53. Glowing Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Jay finally gains possession of the gadget needed to fight Thawne, Barry must make a choice after being confronted by Golden Glider, a villain he believed deceased.

Jay stepped into the lab, watching the scientists hustle and bustle as they prepared to get the prototype ready. He walked through the room, careful not to knock over any busy or distracted workers.

"Garrick!" said Wells, who had just finished directing a group of his underlings, "You're here, good. We've just finished the device and you should be fitted with it within the hour. Where's Nezu?"

"He had to hold a press conference with Aizawa, the media is eating the school alive." said Jay.

"Damn, let's hope the school's popularity doesn't plummet." said Wells, spotting a group of scientists carrying the prototype.

"Ah, here it is." said Wells.

The scientists handed Wells the prototype, at which point he promptly showed it to Jay. It was a small metal harness, barely big enough to fit on Jay's chest. However, Jay could see the small intricacies in the steel, such as the wiring and circuitry underneath.

"This is the Tachyon Enhancer prototype." said Wells, "Nezu is a damn genius to have designed such a device so quickly. With all the different dangerous tools and parts needed to complete this, it makes sense he couldn't build it himself, at least not in a timely manner."

"What does it do?" asked Jay.

"It stores excess speed energy that runs off of you as you run, holding onto it before injecting it into you for a short term burst of speed." said Wells, "It'll serve as an amp for your powers, and it should help you with whatever job needs doing."

"Thank you," said Jay, taking the harness and putting it on immediately. He felt a sharp pain as the device latched onto him, connecting to his energy. Checking his watch, Jay's eyes widened.

"It's getting late and the job's about to start." said Jay, "I need to go."

As Jay turned around to speed out of the lab, Wells grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Wait!" said Wells, "I'm not finished."

Wells let go of Jay, "This design may be incredible, but it's still a prototype. It may take more energy than it's supposed to if you're not careful."

Jay nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."

Jay sped out of the lab, moving through the hallways at top speed. He passed by various scientists and assistants, the gust of wind he generated knocking the papers out of their hands. As he burst through the exit and out into the open city, Jay looked up, gazing at the sunset. He could feel his energy being sucked into the enhancer, storing up to be used later. It was an uncomfortable feeling, almost painful, but he ignored it. He had a job to do.

As he raced through the streets of Fukuoka and left the city, Jay felt a lump in his throat. Thawne was always Barry's greatest enemy, and they were always faster than him. He'd done his best in the past to help, but he always felt like he was lagging behind. Old age didn't affect him like a normal person, but he still felt its effects. Being slower than all the other speedsters frustrated Jay, but with this device he had a fighting chance.

_Your reign of terror stops here Thawne._

Entering a new city, Jay darted between streets before sliding into a police building. Going faster than the eye could see, he flew down a few hallways before stopping abruptly in front of a large double door. Taking a breath, He walked inside.

Jay was met by a massive group of heroes, all gathered in one place for a singular purpose, to capture the League of Villains and save Katsuki Bakugou.

"Jay, you're here." said All-Might, "Now we can begin."

* * *

Barry's eyes widened at the sight of Golden Glider, who's shimmering golden glow lit the entire room. He stumbled backward, almost falling off the bed as she raised her hands.

"Slow down kid, I'm not here to hurt you." said Glider.

Barry caught his breath, stopping himself from going off the bed's edge, "I-I don't understand, how are you alive?! What are you doing here?!"

Glider looked at Barry with sad eyes, "After the particle accelerator accident, I thought I was dying. I drifted in and out of consciousness, unsure if I was gonna make it."

Glider looked at the window, taking in her own reflection, "But soon my body was stabilized, and that's when it started."

Golden Glider extended her hand, "Come on, try and shake my hand."

Barry looked skeptical, "I'm not one to take advice from a villain."

"Please Flash," said Glider, "you need to understand."

Hearing the pain in her voice, Barry sighed before cautiously obliging, slowly reaching his hand out. Just as his hand was about to meet hers, he watched as his hand passed through hers, as if her golden fingers weren't solid matter. Barry leaned back, surprised.

"What is this?" said Barry.

"This is an astral projection." said Glider, "My physical body is comatose and located in this very hospital."

Barry didn't know how to feel. On the one hand, he was being visited by a Rogue, an enemy. On the other hand, he felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off his chest now that he knew Glider was alive.

"If you're alive," said Barry, "Does that mean Mirror Master is too?"

"He is," said Glider, "He looks after me all the time."

Barry's heart jumped, "What? How?! Is he here?!"

"He is," said Glider, pointing at the window, "He's right there."

Barry squinted, looking at the window despite the fact that nobody was behind it. However, he could swear that he could spot something or someone within the glass. His eyes widened when he realized who was there. Mirror Master, in all his orange and Green glory, stood inside the window's reflection.

"He's been alive this whole time and he never connected with the other Rogues?!" said Barry, now seeing Mirror Master clear as day in the glass's reflection.

"It's not his fault after the accelerator he can't leave the mirror dimension," said Glider, "He's trapped. Besides, he's been looking after my body."

Again, another weight was lifted off Barry's chest. Mirror Master was alive, even if he was trapped in the mirrorverse.

"We overheard your plan," said Mirror Master, "with the other kids."

Barry's eyebrows furrowed, "What the hell do you want with them."

"Oh we don't want anything with them," said Mirror Master, "We've done enough fighting."

"What Sam's trying to say is that we know you're trying to save someone." said Glider, "We're trying to save someone too."

Barry's eyes narrowed, "Who?"

"I've been watching the news, we've seen what happened at your training camp." said Glider, "Mardon, Jin, and my brother were all captured."

Barry knew where this was going right away.

"No way," said Barry, "I'm not breaking out the Rogues, especially after what they did when they tried to escape Fukuoka as well as what they did at the camp."

"Flash please, you don't understand." said Glider, "The things they said my brother was doing, he's not normally like that."

"Maybe, but what's done is done." said Barry.

"Will you just listen!" said Glider, "He has a code, and he usually sticks with it. The fact that he isn't must mean he doesn't know I survived!"

"You're right, he doesn't." said Barry, "But that doesn't excuse what he did."

"Fine, then let's get into the real meat of why you should help us." said Glider, "You're friends."

"What about them?" Barry said angrily.

"You kids are in over your heads, you're all gonna get yourselves killed." said Glider, "If you free the Rogues, we'll help you rescue your friend."

As much as he hated it, Barry had to take a minute to consider the option. If they went alone, the mission would be so much more dangerous. With the Rogues, he had a much better chance. However, if he did that, they would likely roam free to rob and steal again, and that was something Barry couldn't have on his conscience.

"The answer's still no." said Barry, flipping his feet off the bed, "Now it's time for me to go, stay safe."

Looking at his crutches, Barry grimaced, knowing they would only slow him down for what came next. Steeling himself, Barry stood up and off the bed. His back reacted in pain, but he was standing on his own two feet again.

"I'll see you in prison." said Barry, who began to walk to the door.

"No!" said Glider, her hair reaching out. Wrapping itself around Barry's wrist, it suddenly became tangible, pulling him back and keeping him from leaving. Barry's head whirled around, staring in utter contempt at Glider.

"Just a projection huh?" said Barry.

"I can make parts of myself tangible, but only for a little while." said Glider.

As if on queue, Glider's body became intangible again, her hair slipping through Barry's wrist.

"If you have this power," said Barry, "why don't you save your friends themselves?"

"Because of him." said Glider, "The fast villain."

Barry's eyes widened, "Thawne."

"Is that what his name is?" said Glider, "I guess it doesn't matter, all I know is he definitely manipulated my brother. I saw him force my doctor to forge a letter to Leonard before murdering him."

Glider continued, "He's been monitoring my body, making sure that I can't contact anyone outside this hospital. If my brother learned I was alive or if I gave a clue that I was awake like saving him from prison, he would know and kill me. That's why I haven't been able to talk to the rest of the Rogues."

Barry frowned, Glider was yet another life Thawne was ready to ruin.

"Please," begged Glider, "please help us."

Barry looked down, "I...I can't. It isn't right."

Barry turned around and started to leave through the doorway as Glider spoke out one last time.

"My body is on the 10th floor if you change your mind!" said Glider.

Barry paused in the door frame, "I'm sorry, but my mind is made up."

Barry left, leaving Glider and Mirror Master alone in the room.

"So what's the plan now?" asked Mirror Master.

Glider floated to the ground, a tear in her eye, "We hope he changes his mind."

* * *

Barry walked down the hospital stairs, wondering if he'd made the right choice.

_Even if they could help, I can't work with the villains, especially if it means breaking them out._

As he exited the building and entered the night lit cityscape, he was prepared to meet up with Todoroki, Midoriya, and Kirishima in order to plan for their rescue. What he didn't expect was to see Iida there as well.

"Barry!" said Kirishima, his arms now free of the casts, "You made it!"

"Yeah," said Barry, a little emotionally drained from his confrontation with Glider, "What's Iida doing here?"

Iida stepped forward, "Barry, we were just discussing Bakugou's rescue."

Barry looked over the rest of the group in confusion, "How'd you convince him to join?"

Midoriya stepped forward, "Yaoyorozu and Iida want to make sure we don't step out of line. She's decided to give us the tracker in exchange for holding back."

Barry nodded, walking up to Iida, "Iida, I'm sorry. I-"

"No need, for it is I who must apologize Allen." said Iida, a look of sorrow on his face, "Like with Midoriya, our confrontation in the hall shouldn't have been so physical."

"It's not all on your end Iida," said Barry, "I said some harsh words too."

Iida nodded before bowing, "Please forgive me!"

"Woah!" yelped Barry, "Of course I forgive you, that's what friends are for!"

Iida rose up, not quite smiling but not quite frowning, "Thank you!"

Barry nodded, walking up to the other group members, "How are you Midoriya?"

"I'm fine." said Midoriya, "I just can't stand the fact that I wasn't able to save him."

"I know," said Barry, "But we'll get him."

"I have the tracker here," said Yaoyorozu, holding up the device.

"Do you think they store the Nomu in their base or another area?" asked Barry.

"I don't know," said Yaoyorozu, "We'll have to find out for ourselves."

Barry nodded, approaching Todoroki, "We're not planning on an all-out fight, are we? We'd never win that way."

"Of course not," said Todoroki, "our plan is to be covert and avoid any conflict whatsoever."

Barry smirked, "Good, then we should all be ready."

"Alright," said Kirishima, "Before we go, I want to ask everyone one final time if they're sure they want to do this."

Kirishima balled his hand into a fist, holding it horizontally, "Bump my fist if you're ready to go."

Todoroki was the first to join the circle of fists, then Midoriya, then Yaoyorozu, and finally Iida. As the 5 formed said circle, they all looked at Barry.

"Barry, are you in?" asked Midoriya.

Barry looked at his own hand in hesitation, why was he waiting? Rescuing Bakugou should be a no brainer, yet here he was, unsure if he should join.

_I can feel warning signs going off in my head, but as long as we remain covert, we should be fine._

Barry put his fist into the circle.

"Hell yeah!" said Kirishima, "Now let's get going!"

As the four dispersed and began to leave the hospital grounds, Barry could still feel a strange sense of danger, like he was making a mistake.

* * *

They walked along the sidewalk, heading towards the train station. As they hopped aboard a train Barry could feel a weight on his chest, but he refused to acknowledge it even as it grew stronger.

As the train departed and the moon rose into the starry sky, Barry closed his eyes. While his friends rationalized it as getting the sleep he might miss, the reality was that Barry didn't want to entertain the question on his mind, the question that was eating him alive.

Did he join the group to save Bakugou, or did he join so they could lead him to Thawne?

He slowly drifted off to sleep, unaware of a small flash of yellow lightning bursting past the train.


	54. Gut Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After refusing Glider's offer, Barry now travels with his friends to the Kamino Ward while Jay prepares to assault the villains hideout.

The train rumbled and groaned to a stop as Barry's eyes glazed open. Midoriya stood up, tapping his hand.

"Barry, we're here." said Midoriya.

Barry sighed, blinking a few times before standing up. Following the rest of the team, Barry exited the train, following them down the stairs and into the streets of the city.

"They're in the Kamino Ward?" asked Barry, "Not the worst place to hide, it's pretty populated."

"Where're they exactly?!" said Kirishima, adrenaline now entering his veins, "Let's get Bakugou now!"

"H-Hold up Kirishima!" said Yaoyorozu, "We're near the villains now, we must be subtle."

"Yaoyorozu's right." said Barry, "We've gotta be careful."

In the back of his mind, Barry was mentally preparing himself for his next inevitable face-off with Thawne. Would it be tonight? He didn't know. All he knew was that when the time comes tonight, he has to keep the focus on rescuing Bakugou.

"I suggest disguises." said Yaoyorozu, "There's a shop over there."

Yaoyorozu pointed to a neon-lit corner store with little traffic.

"Alright," said Barry, "then let's get to it."

_Ok, this is an odd outfit._

Walking out of the changing room, Barry sported jeans and a denim jacket as well as a pair of goofy star sunglasses. The entire outfit was fairly ugly, but overall it would definitely make people turn away out of disgust. Walking out of the store, Barry spotted the rest of his classmates.

Yaoyorozu wore a pink dress and sunglasses while Todoroki sported an undersuit with a black wig combed over his signature scar. Midoriya, Kirishima, and Iida all wore more casual clothing, though Barry questioned both Iida's slacks and the fake facial hair he and Midoriya were wearing.

"OI!" hollered Midoriya, trying to make his voice deeper.

"Ok, disguises are one thing, but fake voices are a little much." said Barry.

"Oh C'mon!" said Kirishima, "We're trying to be sneaky, what if someone recognizes our voices?"

"People remember faces, not voices." said Barry.

"What if someone asks our names?!" said Kirishima, "How about that huh?"

"Then we'll come up with something on the spot." said Barry.

"Really? Ok, WHAT'S YOUR NAME PAL!" shouted Kirishima.

"Huh?!" said Barry, caught off guard, "Uh-Um, GRANT GUSTIN!"

The rest of the group looked at him in confusion.

"What kind of name is that?" asked Todoroki.

"I dunno, I came up with it on the spot." said Barry, "After fighting the Rogues alliteration tends to stick to your brain."

"Enough talk," said Iida, "We should get on with our goal."

Barry nodded, "Right, Yaoyorozu?"

Yaoyorozu pulled out the scanner, "This way."

Yaoyorozu led the group into an alley, taking them through the backstreets of the city.

_Ready or not, here we come._

* * *

The van rumbled along the streets of Kamino as Jay, All-Might, Kamui Woods, and Gran Torino sat inside. Jay fiddled with the Tachyon Enhancer, still having doubts about whether the fight ahead would go their way.

"Flash right?"

Jay looked up, noticing that he was being accosted by Gran Torino. He was a short man in a colorful yellow and white outfit, and he appeared to be quite old. Not that Jay was eager to point that out, he was quite old himself.

"Yep, that's the name." said Jay, "You have a question Chum?"

"Chum? HAH!" chuckled Torino, "My grandpappy called people Chum, you must be older than me!"

"Heh," chuckled Jay, "You'd be surprised."

"Hmm," grumbled Torino, "I've met a lot of heroes over the years, but for someone with your abilities I've never heard of you. Where're you from?"

Jay smirked, "I was born in a place called Keystone City. It's part of a duo of cities called the gem cities. The other city is called Central City."

"Hmm, never heard of them." said Gran Torino, "Are they big cites?"

"Medium-sized." said Jay.

"Ah." said Torino, "Got any family, loved ones?"

Jay felt a pang of sadness at the question. It had been so very long since he'd seen his wife, Joan. While he promised the Barry of this universe he would help him control his powers, he knew deep down that at some point, he had to go home.

"Yes," said Jay, "I have a wife."

"Good for you!" said Torino, "I never had the pleasure of getting married, but it's nice to know some of us old heroes can settle down."

"Thank's chum." said Jay, "It means a lot."

"We're here." said All-Might, "It's time to save young Bakugou!"

As the van rolled to a stop, the heroes got out, entering the alley behind a seedy bar. Marching ahead, the heroes met with their other collaborators, Edgeshot, Endeavor, and the police.

"We're locked and loaded," said the police captain, "Just give the word."

Endeavor nodded, turning to the rest of the heroes, "Alright, here's the plan. Edgeshot will create a distraction at the front door, putting the villains off guard. All-Might will break through the wall, followed by Kamui restraining all the villains with the exception of the speed one, that's your job Flash. Torino will use his speed to follow all that up, knocking out the fire-based villains so they can't burn through Kamui's restraints. Edgeshot and I will hang back, providing backup as needed. Any questions?"

Jay raised his hand.

"What?" asked Endeavor, clearly annoyed.

"This isn't going to work." said Jay.

"Excuse me?!" said Endeavor, enraged, "We came up with this plan, taking into account every single variable. It's the best strategy available."

"Not with Thawne in the mix." said Jay, "He's not just a time traveler, but he's also read extensively into the history books. He'll know that this is the plan of attack we use and help the villains counterattack in kind."

Endeavor's expression hardened, "They clearly haven't listened, thermal scopes show that they're inside."

Endeavor gestured towards the bar, which by all accounts was still active.

"Even so, they're prepared to counter that plan of attack," said Jay, "We need to act differently."

"Hmph, then what do you propose we do?" asked Endeavor.

"I'll show you." said Jay, walking over to the nearest police member and holding out his empty hand, "Give me your Flashbang."

* * *

Barry treaded the alleys of Kamino carefully, trying not to make too much noise. His classmates followed suit, attempting to keep a low profile as they strayed from the well lit main street and plunged into the city backstreets.

"This whole place is starting to feel shady," said Kirishima.

"Then we're on the right track." said Barry, "I'd assume the villains want a place off the beaten path."

Yaoyorozu held up her hand, motioning for the group to stop, "This is it."

Turning a corner, the group laid eyes on a large seedy warehouse. The backstreets themselves were fairly unpopulated, though a few solicitors did pepper the area.

"Not to many people here," said Todoroki, "but we shouldn't draw attention."

"I'd also like to note that the tracker only kept track of the Nomu in question." said Yaoyorozu, "Bakugou may not be here, same goes for all the villains. The only thing we know is that the particular Nomu we've been tracking is in here."

Barry nodded, "We don't have much to go on, we should check the area."

Todoroki nodded, "We shouldn't all go at once, it would be best to scout ahead a little."

"Agreed, I'll go ahead." said Barry.

As Barry prepared to step out into the street, a hand grabbed his shoulder. Looking back, Kirishima shook his head, "Not alone you aren't."

"If it's just one of us then we're less likely to draw attention." said Barry.

"You need someone to watch your back," said Kirishima, "I'll be that guy!"

Barry sighed, "Fine."

Throwing a thumbs up to the rest of the group, Kirishima led Barry out of the alley and up to the Warehouse wall.

"See anything?" asked Kirishima.

Peeking his head out, Barry surveyed the Warehouse entrance. There was dust on the handle, with moss growing around the bottom.

"The door hasn't been used recently," said Barry, "however they're getting in, it's not through the front."

"Hey man," said Kirishima, "are you ok?"

Barry turned around, looking Kirishima in the eyes, "What do you mean? Of course, I'm ok."

"Not from what I've been seeing." said Kirishima, "There's been a look in your eyes all night like you're scared something bad is gonna happen."

Barry sighed, leaning against the warehouse wall, "With everything going on with Thawne, Bakugou's capture, and everyone getting hurt, I'm just...scared."

Kirishima stood silent for a moment, trying to find the words to comfort his friend, but it was harder this time than it usually was. The situation they were in was dire to say the least and it was getting hard to say positive things.

"Barry…I don't know if things will turn out our way." said Kirishima, "But I do know that as long as we try our hardest, do what we have to do, we at least have a good chance."

Barry felt a little better, though not by much, "Thanks Kirishima, I appreciate it."

"You're welcome buddy!" said Kirishima, looking up, "Hey. there's a window!"

Barry followed Kirishima's gaze, spotting a barred up window, "Nice catch!"

Barry gestured at the rest of the group, ushering them to cross the street. As they walked over, Barry tapped Kirishima's shoulder, "Here, I'll hoist you up."

Kirishima looked concerned, "Are you sure man? You're the one with a messed up spine."

Barry stopped, his dumbfounded expression frozen on his face.

"Uhhhhhhh, good point." said Barry.

Kirishima bent down, allowing Barry to step onto his shoulders and be held up to the window. Barry watched as Iida did the same with Midoriya.

"Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, keep watch." ordered Iida.

Yaoyorozu nodded, "Will do."

Barry gazed into the warehouse, only to be met with pitch-black darkness.

"Can't see a thing in here." said Barry.

"Oh, I have something for that!" said Kirishima.

Reaching into his jacket, Kirishima pulled out a pair of Night vision binoculars to the surprise of the entire group.

"Kirishima, that must have cost a fortune!" said Yaoyorozu, "I could have just made one for you using my quirk!"

"Don't worry about it!" said Kirishima, "Midoriya, take'em and tell us what you see!"

"Right!" said Midoriya, grabbing the tool and looking into the warehouse, "I'm not seeing much, just a few old tools and-GUGH!"

Midoriya gasped, choking on his own words.

"What?!" said Barry, "What do you see?!"

Midoriya silently handed Barry the binoculars, "N-Nomu."

Barry's eyes widened, looking through the night vision to find rows upon rows of vats filled with green liquid. The pinkish brains of Nomu stuck out of the liquid-like sore thumbs, filling Barry with intense fear.

"Oh god, he's right. There must be dozens of them!" said Barry, "It looks like this place is where they store their Nomu, or maybe they make them here."

"Do you see Bakugou?" asked Yaoyorozu, "They might have stored him here."

Bary scanned the warehouse, looking around for any clues, "I don't see anybody, maybe it's just Nomu-"

Barry's heart stopped, spotting something he never thought he would see.

"Barry, what is it?!" asked Kirishima, worried.

"Midoriya, hold this." said Barry, handing him the night vision binoculars.

"Thanks," said Midoriya, "but what are you gonna-"

Without hesitation, Barry vibrated his molecules, jumping through the wall and landing inside the warehouse.

"B-BARRY!" yelped Midoriya, who immediately clamped his hand over his mouth.

"Barry!" screeched Iida, keeping his volume to a vague whisper, "Get back here this instant! Where are you going?!"

Barry ignored them, rapidly sneaking to the object he had seen through the window. Coming upon it, Barry laid eyes on the gadget that had both caused all his pain and his salvation.

Barry was standing in front of the Cosmic Treadmill.

_I-It's here._

Barry couldn't believe his eyes, this could help him fix everything!

_Thawne must have been using this place as a storeroom for his tools, bet he wasn't expecting me to break in._

Barry ran his hands over the bars, wiping dust off the unpowered screen. Looking at the front, he spotted an engraving, almost like a signature.

"Property and invention of Barry Allen." said Barry, "Heh, It's kinda crazy that I get smart enough to build something like this."

"Barry!" called Kirishima, "What are you doing in there? Did you find something?!"

"Yeah!" said Barry, "I found the thing that's gonna fix everything!"

"Fix everything?" said Midoriya, "What does that mean?"

"It doesn't matter," said Barry, jumping onto the treadmill, "Just give me a sec-"

Barry stopped when he spotted a body lying on the floor a few meters in front of the treadmill. It laid there motionless, filling Bary with dread.

"Barry, what is it?" said an increasingly panicked Midoriya, "Why'd you stop speaking?"

Barry felt the urge to ignore the body and just use the treadmill to travel back to when Thawne attacked the camp, making sure his friends were never hurt, but something stopped him. Maybe it was the sight of someone hurt or helpless in front of him, maybe it was the fact that they looked like his mother the day he found her body. Whatever it was, Barry knew he had to help her first. Hopping off the treadmill, Barry ran over to the body, turning it over.

"I-It's..." stuttered Barry, "It's Ragdoll!"

"W-What?!" said Midoriya, "Is she ok?"

She was stripped down, nude, but Barry quickly checked her over for wounds or bruises. Oddly enough, he couldn't find anything.

"She's breathing, and there don't seem to be any wounds, but she's definitely been through something." said Barry.

"B-Barry, something's happening outside!" said Kirishima, "I can hear big footsteps."

_Big footsteps?_

In that instant, a massive boot came crashing through the side of the warehouse, sending debris everywhere. Barry panicked, using his speed to keep himself and Ragdoll out of harm's way. As the walls crumbled and the debris plopped to the ground, Barry slowed down, catching his breath.

"W-What was that?!" said Barry.

"Young man, what are you doing here."

Barry turned towards the now giant opening in the warehouse, spotting a collection of heroes making their way in. Best Jeanist, Mt. Lady, Gang Orca, and Tiger walked inside, with Mt. Lady grabbing the battered Nomu scattered about and crushing their brains.

"I-Uh!" said Barry.

Jeanist acted immediately, sending out his fabric quickly wrapping Barry up. He fell on his side, dropping Ragdoll in the process. Tiger jumped in, catching her in her arms.

"Explain yourself!" said Jeanist, "Now!"

* * *

"I'm telling ya, he's a waste of your time." said Thawne.

The league of villains gathered in the bar, overseeing Bakugou's restrained form. He writhed, struggling against his chains while strapped to the wall. Trickster and Heatwave sat in the back, dejected.

"He'll come around." said Shigaraki, "I'm sure of it."

"Damnit, the heroes will be here any second." said Thawne, "Why won't you listen?!"

"Hey, pipe down speedy!" said Twice, "It's not like you're the leader."

"Shut it," said Shigaraki, "the runt's trying to say something."

Bakugou's muffled growls filled the room as he struggled against his chains more violently, trying in vain to break free.

"He's not going to join you," said Thawne, "he's set on becoming a hero, whatever that means to him."

"Forget all that," said Heatwave, "we lost our crew. When are we gonna stage a rescue?"

"The answer's gonna be never if you keep yappin!" said Shigaraki, "Besides, didn't you fail in your goal?"

"We did," said Trickster, "but that doesn't stop us from caring about our fellow Rogues."

"Ooh, camaraderie!" said Twice, "I love it!"

Thawne checked the time, "This is it, this is when they attack."

Nodding to the rest of the villains, Thawne got into a defensive position with everyone standing their ground, poised to attack when their enemies burst through the wall.

"Alright, in 5 seconds they'll ring the door, then we'll have a fight on our hands." said Thawne, "5...4..3-"

"Hey! It's a hand in the ceiling!" erupted Twice.

"What?" said Thawne, looking up. Low and behold, a hand was reaching down through the ceiling. In addition, the hand was holding something. Just as everyone laid eyes on the hand, dropped the object, pulling up and out of the ceiling. As the villain's eyes tracked the object as it fell, only Thawne managed to recognize it in time. With wide eyes, Thawne shouted, "SHIELD YOUR EYES!"

The flashbang bounced on the floor one before detonating, blinding the entire room except for Thawne, who acted in time.

_Can't let them get the kid=!_

As Thawne broke into a run, he heard the door slam behind him as another speedster raced into the bar. Thawne turned around, barely able to take in Jay's face before he's pinned to the ground. Jay dug his feet into the back of Thawne's knees while placing his arms against his back, restraining him.

"Don't bother trying to faze out of my grip Thawne." said Jay, "Whichever frequency you vibrate to, I can follow."

Thawne was flabbergasted, "Who the hell are you?!"

*SHOOM*

All-Might burst through the wall, sending bricks everywhere and deafening the already blind villains. Kamui Woods followed, using his quirk to restrain the entire room.

"What's goin on?!" yelped Heatwave.

"I swear," said Dabi, "I'm gonna burn the lot of ya-"

Gran Torino rocketed in using his quirk, bouncing off of and kicking Heatwave and Dabi in the space of a second. The two swayed, out like lights.

"Can't have you youngsters burning Kamui," said Torino, "I don't think his limbs grow back."

All Might surveyed the surroundings, making sure all the villains were caught before confronting the captured Shigaraki.

"You thought you could escape the jaws of justice," said All-Might, "Yet here we are!"

* * *

"She's still breathing," said Tiger, "But I'm unsure as to why she's in such a catatonic state."

"They may have used a mental quirk on her," said Gang Orca, his fins flapping, "be careful."

Barry laid on the ground as the pro heroes milled about, making sure to check if any Nomu were missing. Mt. Lady grabbed the Nomu still visible, popping their heads off with her thumb.

Barry glanced around, hoping his friends had made it out of sight before the heroes broke in.

"Hey kid!" said Best Jeanist, "What's up with you?"

"I...I came here to see if I could help!" said Barry.

"How do we know you aren't lying?" asked Best Jeanist, "That you aren't working for the villains?"

"He isn't!" said Tiger, piping up, "I know that kid, he's a U.A. student. He's probably sniffing around trying to find the Bakugou."

"Hmm, I'll take your word for it Tiger, I trust you." said Jeanist.

Barry felt Jeanists grip loosen as the fibers released him, allowing him to get up on his knees. He whipped around, trying to find his friends. Noting that they were nowhere to be seen, Barry breathed a sigh of relief before his eyes widened.

_The Cosmic Treadmill._

Barry began to hyperventilate, whirling around trying to find out where the gadget went. After a few seconds of searching he found it upturned on its side amidst the rubble.

"If this were any other night I'd have you arrested," said Jeanist, "but tonight is important, so run home kid, your teacher will sort you out."

"I-I can't." said Barry, running over to the cosmic treadmill and turning it on its proper side, "I need to use this first."

Jeanists eyes narrowed, "What is that? Why do you know about a gadget sitting in a villain's lair?"

"It's a long story," said Barry, jumping on the treadmill, "but all you need to know is that I'm about to make everyone's lives easier!"

"What?" said Jeanist, "What could you possibly mean by tha-"

"How interesting." said a chillingly ominous voice, "You hold knowledge of this device?"

The pro heroes turned back towards the shadows of the deeper warehouse, making out the shadow of a man.

"Who are you?!" said Jeanist, getting into a battle stance, "Identify yourself!"

The shadow raised its hand, "The device itself seems arbitrary, given its owner hasn't used it in some time, but now I'm quite interested in who you are boy."

Jeanist's eyebrows furrowed, "What do you want with this bo-"

What happened next was too fast for anyone but Barry to process, but even for him it happened lightning quick. In the span of a millisecond, a quiet wave of energy was unleashed from the shadow, absolutely decimating the cityscape in front of him. Barry flew back, his feet leaving the treadmill as it was completely obliterated by the attack. Within a second, Barry was on the barren ground, caked in dust and bruised all over.

*Kaff!*

Barry struggled to breathe, trying not to inhale too much dust as he stumbled onto his knees. Looking around, Barry spotted the other pro heroes, all laid flat and defeated by the attack.

_Oh no._

Then Barry saw it.

The Cosmic Treadmill laid decimated in front of him, it's treads and screen shattered and in pieces. His chance to prevent the pain his classmates felt from ever happening was gone. The chance for Mina to keep her horns was gone. The chance to go back and save his mother was gone. These realizations filled Barry with unending despair.

They also filled him with anger.

"Y-You." said Barry, his fists tightening, "YOU BASTARD!"

Completely forgoing the covert approach from earlier, Barry charged the shadow, now revealed to be a masked man in a suit. Raising his fist, Barry vibrated it at super-speed as he blitzed towards the villain. Letting out a defiant roar, Barry slammed his fist into the man.

*CRACK*

"Gugk!" grunted Barry, stepping back as the man stood by, completely unfazed by the impact. Barry raised his hand, wincing at the sight of all his broken fingers.

_W-Who is this?_

"Heh heh heh." said the menacing man, grabbing Barry by the shirt and lifting him up. His sheer size and height dwarfed Barry in a way only All-Might could do. However, All-Might used that kind of presence to make people safe, this man seemed to do it to fill people with dread. Barry stared the villain in the face, noting the massive breathing apparatus surrounding his mask. It added to the intimidation factor greatly.

Being able to completely shrug off a hit that would demolish a brick wall made Barry feel small in comparison. Whoever this man was, he was just as if not more dangerous than Thawne. Little did Barry know that he was face to face with the most powerful villain on the planet, the ruthless All for One.

"I wonder..." said All for One, "what kind of power do you possess?"

As the chilling words reached his ears, Barry knew that his gut feeling had been right. He was in trouble, and there was nothing he could do to get out of it.


	55. Darkest Hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the heroes assault the villain's hideout, Thawne turns the tables on Jay. Meanwhile, Barry falling into the grip of All for One puts him in his darkest hour yet.

"This is it Shigaraki!" said All-Might, "Your schemes end here!"

Kamui Woods stood firm, his branches wrapped tightly around every single villain in the bar with the exception of Thawne, who was pinned to the ground by Jay.

"Heh," chuckled Shigaraki, "you actually think that this is it?"

"I do." said All-Might, "There's nowhere to run."

"Really?" said Shigaraki, motioning his head towards Kurogiri, "Kurogiri, get us out of here."

Kurogiri shifted his smoky shadowy head, then suddenly went limp.

"What?!" said Spinner, "Is Kurogiri dead?"

"No," said Edgeshot, one of his stretched out limbs, "I simply fiddled with his insides, he'll be out for the night."

Jay pressed Thawne's arm harder, causing Thawne to wince.

"I-I don't understand," said Thawne, "I've studied every speedster that's ever existed in this time, you're not in the history books!"

"Maybe it's because you bungled time up." said Jay, "But as expected, you never gave any thought to your meddling with history."

Thawne struggled against Jay's grip, anguish in his face. Suddenly, he stopped struggling, his mouth contorting into a smile as he turned his head, getting a look at Jay's face.

"Huh, never expected a comic book character to come to life." said Thawne, "You're Jay Garrick aren't you."

"Your mind games won't work on me." said Jay, "Nor the rest of them."

Thawne sighed, "I don't know how or why you're here now, but allow me to let you in on a little secret."

"I already told you, you can't manipulate me!" said Jay.

"Not trying to, just giving you some useful info." said Eobard, his voice lowered to a whisper, "I tried to put this in the villain's favor, but they were too boneheaded to listen and got captured. But you wanna know something funny?"

Jay raised his eyebrow.

"Right now, the timeline isn't all that different." said Thawne.

Thawne's words, combined with his smug look, caused Jay's eyes to widen. Raising his head and looking back towards his fellow heroes, Jay shouted, "Everyone! Stay on Alert, it's not over yet!"

Suddenly, Jay's grip on Thawne loosened, as if Thawne was turning into sludge. Looking back at Thawne, a strange grey sludge had formed around the villain, practically disintegrating him.

"W-What?!" said Jay, looking around to see that the rest of the villains were also being affected.

"This is it!" said Thawne as the sludge completely surrounded him, "This is when you all lose!"

The sludge goes limp, running in between Jay's hands as he looked on in horror, "No! We can't let them escape!"

"Young Bakugo!" shouted All-Might.

Turning around, Jay spotted Bakugou being taken by the sludge.

"Ugh!" said Bakugou, "The hell is this stuff?"

Jay burst forward with All-Might as the two attempted to grab Bakugou. Unfortunately, just as they were within reach, the sludge disappeared, leaving nothing behind.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" shouted All-Might.

Jay looked around frantically, "Where could they have gone? Think Jay Think!"

"Shit!"

Hearing a policeman scream, Jay looked outside, spotting a mass invasion of Nomu in the streets.

"We lost contact with the warehouse team!" shouted Endeavor, currently setting the Nomu on fire with a highly destructive heat blast.

"Then we must hope that the villains are there!" said All-Might, leaping into the sky.

Gran Torino followed suit, blasting into the air. Jay tightened his fists as he leaped over the Nomu, landing in the street and sprinting after the two heroes. As he ran forward, he could feel a seed of silent anxiety in his stomach but pushed it way down. He was going to survive this, everyone was going to survive this.

He knew it in his heart.

* * *

All for One stood silently, holding Barry by the front of his shirt. Pieces of the debris littered the now destroyed city square as All for One placed another hand on Barry's chest.

"Come, use your power!" said All for One, "Allow me to gaze upon your glory!"

All for One squeezed Barry's torso, causing Barry to scream as the villain effortlessly broke 3 ribs.

"Do not resist!" said All for One, "Show me!"

Barry gasped for air as the villain's grip became tighter and tighter.

_I have to get out of this now!_

Vibrating his molecules, Barry phased out of All for One's grip, landing in the dust with a grunt. Turning around, Barry attempted to run, planning to pick up whatever heroes he could and jet, but his legs seemed to lock up. Barry struggled, stuck in place as All for One approached.

"Oh?" said All for One, "A speed quirk? I already have one of those, though yours seems to be very...unique."

"H-How are you doing this?" said Barry, "I can't move."

"Hmm," said All for One, "I picked this quirk up from a fellow villain named the Turtle, he wasn't willing to give it away willingly so I stole it."

Barry's heart sank.

_This guy can steal quirks?_

All for One raised his hand, watching as the tips of his fingers began to glow a sinister red. Moving forward, All for One placed them on Barry's temple. Barry gritted his teeth, feeling a sharp pain in his forehead.

"RRGH" groaned Barry.

All for One tilted his head, "Hmm? I cannot find your power."

Rescinding his hand, All for One stood firm as Barry felt the pain lessen.

"It...It's not a quirk." said Barry, "That's why you can't steal it."

"Ah, that explains it." said All for One, "But that means that if I can't have it, no one can."

All for One made a fist, raising it high above Barry's head. Realizing that All for One was about to kill him, Barry desperately tried to vibrate his molecules to escape, only to realize that whatever quirk All for One was using was preventing him from doing so. Closing his eyes, Barry made solace with the fact that if he was going to die, at least it wasn't Thawne delivering the final blow.

"NO!"

Barry felt All for One's power over him falter as he opened his eyes, spotting his friends making a desperate charge towards All for One. Iida, Midoriya, and Kirishima led a physical attack while Yaoyorozu prepared to fire a cannon. Todoroki stood right next to her, readying an ice attack.

_No, what are you doing he'll kill you!_

Barry raised his hand towards his friends, "Don't-"

With the flick of his wrist, All for One laid a path of destruction before him, creating an explosion of dust with a wave of pure physical force. Barry watched on as the wave of death tore through what was left of the warehouse, passing over his friends. In the span of a second, their bodies simply...ceased to be.

As the dust cloud settled, Barry looked on at the crater in which his friends had previously been charging.

"N-No." said Barry, "This can't be happening."

It was then that the grim realization of why his friends died began to crash down on Barry. They were trying to save him. Had he not been so eager to claim the cosmic treadmill, he wouldn't have been caught. He wouldn't have gotten his friends killed.

Falling to his knees, Barry completely shut down, feeling an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed All for One, "I do so enjoy the taste of despair."

Grey sludge began to appear in the air as the league of villains began popping out, falling to the ground around Barry.

"And it seems that my compatriots are here as well," said All for One.

"Ugh," said Bakugou, "What the hell just ha-"

Thawne clocked Bakugou in the side of the head, knocking him out.

"Sorry kid, can't have you getting away." said Thawne.

Slowly but surely, each of the villains recovered, standing up as Thawne sped about, checking behind all the collapsed walls.

"That's funny." said Thawne, speeding to a stop with the villains, "Some of the runts are supposed to be around here."

"I disposed of them." said All for One.

Thawne shot All for One a funny look, "What? How did you know abou-"

Thawne spotted Barry, on his knees and in complete despair, and instantly smiled.

"HAH!" laughed Thawne, "What a turn of events!"

Thawne sped right up in front of Barry, kneeling down so that the two were at eye level, "What do we have here? I wonder what turn of events brought you to this point...wait! Don't tell me, I wanna guess."

"Hey!" said Heatwave, "Rogues have dibs on the Flash!"

"Yeah, so back off!" said Trickster.

"Unless you want to lose your heads, BOTH OF YOU BACK OFF!" screamed Thawne.

Trickster and Heatwave went silent, shying away from Thawne. Barry remained still, eyes completely sunken.

"So, back to the subject, here's my guess." said Thawne, "You came with your friends to save Bakugou, who you knew wouldn't turn to our side, so you come up to this warehouse here and what do you see? The Cosmic treadmill I used to get here, helped by your future self as you already know."

Thawne's grin curled even more, intensifying the glee he felt while tormenting Barry, "So you jump at the chance to go back, undo whatever misstep or action you so choose. But uh oh, you screwed up and now your ticket to redemption is gone!"

Thawne abruptly grabbed Barry's hair, pulling at it as Barry winced in pain, "And now that you were out in the open, you were caught, and your friends, loyal and stupid as they've always been, tried to save you. But now they're dead, all because of a decision you made!"

Tears began to well up in Barry's eyes as Thawne laughed once again, "Amazing! You've experienced even more pain now than ever before, and the worst thing about it is that you brought it all onto yourself!"

As the tears streaked down his cheeks, Barry simply gave up.

"Just finish me off." said Barry, all the energy in his body completely gone, "I can't fight anymore."

Thawne's eyes widened with glee as he leaned into Barry's ear, "You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words."

Leaning back, Thawne raised his hand, vibrating it at high speeds, "I'll give you one more nugget of info Barry. You've been asking me if I killed your mother, and even though I've dropped every conceivable hint, you seem to willfully ignore it."

Thawne raised his hand, "So in the interest of beating you over the head with the truth, Yes Barry, I killed your mother."

Deep down, Barry knew the truth, maybe realizing it as early as the first time he met Thawne in the mall. But since then, he found himself denying the fact. Maybe it was because of the CSI training he had beforehand, never taking anything for truth until it could be spelled out for him. Maybe it was the fact that he couldn't bear someone as sweet as his mother falling victim to this monster before him. Either way, now that the truth was undeniable, it deepened Barry's desperation.

"Say goodbye Barry." said Thawne, pulling his hand back as Barry closed his eyes.

_I guess this is it, the end of the race._

*BONK*

Barry's eyes shot open as a familiar tin helmet came in spinning, cracking Thawne in the back of the head and causing him to let go of Barry. Now free, Barry fell on his front as Jay slid to a stop in front of him.

"BARRY!" shouted Jay, gently grabbing Barry's head and checking for wounds, "BARRY ARE YOU OK?!"

"My fault." said Barry, "It's all my fault."

*SHOOM!*

All Might and Gran Torino landed on the scene, with All-Might crashing into All for One to engage him while Gran Torino hopped between the villains, keeping them preoccupied.

"Barry, we have to go!" shouted Jay, "I don't know what you're doing here but you have to leave!"

"T-They're gone," said Barry, "They're all gone."

"Barry what are you talking about?" said Jay.

Barry pointed towards the now barren crater that once occupied his friends, "Look."

Jay followed Barry's finger, spotting the crater and putting two and two together. A horrified expression reached Jay's face as Barry's arms fell to his side, "Oh Lord." he gasped.

"W-We came to rescue Bakugou," said Barry, sniffling, "but I got careless, I saw the cosmic treadmill, I tried to selfishly take it so I could go back in time. But then that All for One guy showed up, he killed them when they tried to save me! If I didn't screw up so bad, they would still be alive!"

"Barry-"

"Forget me, Jay, save Bakugou." said Barry, "I don't deserve to be saved."

Jay, while clearly shaken by what happened, stood firm, "Barry, I know what just happened was more horrific than anything you've ever seen, but you can't give up."

"What's the point?" said Barry, "Thawne's already won."

"He only wins when you've fully given up," said Jay, "and I won't let you do that."

Jay put his hands on Barry's shoulders, "You're the Flash, and The Flash can fix anything Barry. You can pick yourself up and-"

Jay stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide and his mouth agape.

"Jay?!" said Barry.

And it was only then that Barry noticed Thawne's hand driven straight through Jay's back and poking out of his chest. As Jay's body went limp, Thawne violently pulled his arm out as Barry stared at Jay's lifeless corpse.

"DAMN YOU OLD MAN!" shouted Thawne, "YOU RUINED THE MOMENT!"

Barry was silent, having trouble processing the loss of his mentor. While he expected the loss to further add to his despair, his anguish, it didn't. Instead, Jay's death felt like a spark.

A spark of rage.

"Now then," said Thawne, "back to buisne-"

Barry roared, grabbing a small piece of rebar amongst the rubble and jamming it into Thawne's eye, watching as blood squirted from the wound. Caught up in his gloating, Thawne was unable to fully prepare for the attack.

"AARGH!" screamed Thawne, backhanding Barry and sending him flying before holding both hands over the wound, "RRRGH, You'll pay for that Allen!"

Turning his one good eye towards Barry, he noticed that he was already on his feet. Looking him up and down, Thawne noticed Barry's intensity, his anger. From the clenched fists to the focused eyes dead set on seeing him dead, Thawne realized that something was different from before.

Barry was out for blood, and for the first time in his life, Thawne was uncertain if he would be victorious.

"T-This isn't over Allen!" shouted Thawne, turning around and tapping into the negative speed force before racing away, leaving a massive gust of wind behind.

"THE HELL IT ISN'T!" shouted Barry, getting into a runner's stance and feeling the lightning within himself as he took off after Thawne.

Racing through the back alleys of Kamino, Thawne took every turn he could, trying to lose Barry in the mess of familiar-looking seedy backstreets, but Barry refused to fall behind, keeping pace and following Thawne around every bend. Realizing that this wasn't working, Thawne took a different route.

Breaking out onto the main street, Thawne pushed his way through the crowds of citizens, knocking anyone and everyone in his path out of the way. Unfortunately, this had the opposite effect that he was hoping. While he planned for the crowds to slow Barry down, the fact that he had to knock people out of the way combined with the fact that Barry was completely unhindered due to staying close behind Thawne and following in his wake meant that Barry was gaining on him. Eyes darting around, Thawne spotted a train station. Hoping that in a straight race of speed he could outrace Barry, he rapidly ascended the metal steps and jumped onto the track, racing down one end.

Barry followed suit, jumping onto the tracks and keeping pace with Thawne. As he quickened his pace, he could feel a fiery pain crawling up his back, particularly his spine. Flashing back to the doctor's words, he realized that if he kept this up, he might lose the feeling in his legs.

_It doesn't matter if I become a paraplegic now, all that matters is making sure Thawne never hurts anyone again!_

Feeling the energy in his body, Barry surged forward, now only a few meters from Thawne as the train tracks began to stretch over a massive bridge over a steep drop.

*HOOOOOOOONK*

Barry's eyes widened as a train came barreling towards him and Thawne, threatening to make them both into a red paste. The speedsters switched tracks at the exact same time, jumping out of harm's way. As he moved by the train's many windows, something caught his eyes.

A mess of blonde hair on one of the passengers.

Time seemed to slow down as Barry slowly passed the window. As the person came into Barry's gaze, his eyes widened.

_That's….me!_

*CRACK!*

Distracted by the sight of himself, Barry tripped on the tracks. Flying to the side due to the momentum built up by his speed, Barry smashed into the side rails of the track, feeling his spine snap once again as he barreled over the edge. Now falling to his death, Barry looked to the horizon, spotting a beautiful sunrise.

"No, it can't end like this." said Barry, "It can't!"

As he continued to fall, Barry could feel the speed force still coursing through his veins as lightning continued to radiate off his body.

"I won't let it end this way." said Barry, "There has to be something!"

The lightning intensified as Barry fell closer and closer to death.

"I won't give up!" said Barry, "Even now! BECAUSE I'M THE FLASH!"

*KRAKAKOOM!*

A bolt of lightning falls from the sky, crashing down on Barry just as he's about to hit the ground. After a flash of light, the bolt disappears, and Barry with it.

* * *

Back up on the train tracks, Thawne glanced behind him, checking to see if Barry was still on his tail. Realizing that Barry was gone, Thawne smirked before beginning to laugh triumphantly!

"HAHAHAHAHAH!" shouted Thawne, "SO MUCH FOR THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE!"

*HOOOOOOOOONK!*

Turning around, Thane found himself face to face with an oncoming train. In his moment of self-congratulation, Thawne had drifted back onto the other side of the tracks and was now directly on the path of the train. Thawne realized he was too close to the train to turn away or pivot.

No way around it, he was dead as a doorknob.

"Aw shit." gasped Thawne.

Thawne collided with the train, hitting it with enough force for his limbs to pop out of their sockets. His body exploded into a bloody mess with arms and legs flying away from the impact area while his face became nothing but a mangled mess.

Thawne's torso slid under the train and was promptly shredded to pieces by the wheels, leaving nothing but a pathetic red stain on the front.

* * *

_What is this?_

Barry fell through a completely empty space, devoid of anything but a bright white light that seemed to come from...everywhere. While he could tell he was falling, it didn't feel dangerous or life-threatening, as if he was floating down instead if he was a feather. As he continued to drift downward, Barry could feel a presence above him, making its way closer and closer. Looking up, Barry laid eyes upon something he hadn't seen in a long time.

It was a corpse of a man descending from above, rotting skin wrapped in a black hero costume with a lightning bolt emblazoned across the front.

The Black Flash.

Floating down to Barry's level, the Black Flash silently placed his hands underneath Barry. As the cold dead hands touched Barry's back, he felt a strange sense of warmth, as if he was being bathed in light. As the Black Flash continued to hold onto Barry, he felt his spine slowly and painlessly move back into place, fusing back together as if it had never been broken in the first place.

"That costume," said Barry, "I've seen it somewhere befo-"

The Black Flash put a finger over Barry's mouth, shushing him.

"Make the right choice this time Barry." said Black Flash, "I believe in you."

Letting go, Barry felt his world begin to spin as he stopped floating and began to fall. He plummeted, falling faster and faster as he began to flip through the air, unable to tell what was up and what was down.

"WOOOOOOAAAAAAH!" shouted Barry.

* * *

Slowly but surely, the world began to come into focus. Still reeling from the massive trip of spinning he had just endured, Barry wobbled to and fro, trying to get his balance.

_W-Where am I?_

As his vision came into focus, a bright light drew his attention upward. Looking up, he realized it was a lamp contrasting against the night sky. Looking forward, Barry spotted a large concrete building.

_Is this...the hospital?_

"Bump my fist if you're ready to go."

Turning around, Barry's heart stopped when he saw all his friends, alive and well, standing in a circle. Not only that, but they were all making a circle, bumping fists in the middle for some kind of pact.

"Barry," said Midoriya, "Are you in?"

Barry took a step back, not believing his eyes.

_WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been easily one of my favorite chapters to write in some time, from the horrible events to the payoff to Thawne's sweet Karma to the delicious cliffhanger, it makes me appreciate that I have people like you guys along for the journey and experiencing everything I write.
> 
> I know It seems like I thank you guys every other chapter, but again, THANK YOU FOR READING!
> 
> While this story hasn't been on AO3 for long, I'm happy that people are enjoying it!


	56. Flash Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the devastating events of the last chapter, Barry has seemingly been given a second chance. But can he make the right choice this time?

Barry couldn't believe his eyes.

There he was, standing in front of his friends, all alive and well. Mere minutes ago, Barry had seen them die, wiped off the face of the earth by an unconquerable force. But now, they were here, completely unharmed and seemingly ready to go.

"Barry?" said Kirishima, "You ok my man?"

"I-Uh!" said Barry, shocked, "Hold on a sec!"

Barry turned around, keeping his facial expression hidden as he began to pace around the area.

_What happened? My friends are alive and it's night again, not that I'm complaining since it means they aren't dead._

Barry pulled out his phone, checking the time. Sure enough, it was about midnight.

_Midnight? But when I was falling the sun was rising._

Barry's eyes widened as he realized what had happened.

_Oh don't look so surprised Barry, You visited your own pocket dimension. Time travel shouldn't be too hard to wrap your head around._

_Did I?_

Barry knew right then what had happened. He had gone back in time.

_B-But how? I wasn't even on the cosmic treadmill?_

Looking back, Barry remembered entering the speed force near the end of his plummet from the train tracks. He remembered the dark angel that cradled him, the Black Flash, whispering words into his ears.

_Did the speed force itself give me another chance?!_

Barry gasped at the realization, coming to the conclusion that everything that had happened before, Jay's death, the cosmic treadmill's destruction, was no longer in effect.

_The Black Flash, the one I met on Christmas eve, he told me to make the right choice this time. What does that mean?_

Barry looked back at his friends, who were all giving him strange looks as he paced back and forth.

"What is he doing?" asked Todoroki.

"I dunno," said Kirishima, scratching his head, "he was all pumped up and ready before."

"Silence you two!" said Iida, keeping his eyes on Barry, "Let Barry think this decision over carefully, this is a dangerous mission and he should have the choice not to participate."

Barry kept pacing back and forth, unsure of what to do next.

_When he said make the right choice, did he mean.._

Barry turned towards his friends.

_For me to not go with them?_

It was a reasonable conclusion. Most of the mission, Barry was distracted and when offered the chance to go back in time using the cosmic treadmill, he went for it despite the fact that it would endanger him and his friends. If he wasn't there to mess everything up, surely they would survive.

"I...I can't go with you guys." said Barry, turning towards his friends, "I'll just be a burden."

"No way man!" said Kirishima, "Don't say that, you'd be plenty useful!"

"Maybe, but I-" Barry stopped, glancing at Iida, "I'm not in the right headspace right now. I might do something that endangers everyone."

"Endanger everyone?" said Todoroki, "What do you mean by tha-"

Iida put his hand in front of Todoroki, shaking his head before walking up to Barry, "Barry, I...I have to thank you for your honesty. You've displayed a level of maturity rare for our age."

Barry stood in silence, as Iida continued, "I don't know your parents, but I'm sure they're proud of the model student you are!"

Midoriya went white with horror, "I-Iida! You just-"

"It's ok Midoriya," said Barry, struggling to hold back tears, "I-uh, can everyone come here for a second?"

While the request was certainly odd, the group obliged. As Todoroki, Midoriya, Kirishima, and Yaoyorozu got in closer with Iida, Barry wrapped his arms around them all for a massive hug!

"Oh!" said Yaoyorozu, "I didn't expect that!"

"He's surprisingly warm." said Todoroki.

"Uh, Barry," said Midoriya, "are you crying?"

"Don't worry about us!" said Kirishima, "We'll be fine!"

Barry pulled back, wiping a tear from his cheek, "Good luck guys, bring Bakugou back."

"We will." said Kirishima, "You can count on that!"

With an enthusiastic nod, the group departed, passing under the street lights before vanishing behind the curb. Barry took a deep breath, surprised by how hard it was to make that choice.

_Should I just...go back inside?_

Barry turned towards the hospital, noting that the door up top was probably still unlocked.

_If I sneak back into my hospital bed, I can probably stay hidden._

Barry sighed, beginning his walk back to his room. As he began to ascend the stairs, he looked back on the dark future that might have been.

_It went so horribly, I was surprised I didn't die too._

Barry took a deep breath, relaxing himself.

_Thawne really went after me too, saying all those horrible things._

Barry cringed, remembering that Thawne revealed that he killed Barry's mother for real. He had suspected this for so long, yet refused to accept it for reasons only Barry's subconscious knew. Pushing the memory aside, Barry remembered another phrase Thawne said.

_That's funny, some of the runts are supposed to be around here._

Barry stopped in his tracks, his heart jumping.

_No._

Barry rushed to the side of the stairs, looking out the window to see if his friends were still close by. Alas, they were long gone.

_Thawne knows that they're going to rescue Bakugo. Why am I surprised, of course, he does, he's from the future and has read every history book in existence!_

Terrified, Barry had to think fast on what to do next.

_I know! I'll go down and warn them, that'll stop them!_

Turning to race down the stairs, Barry made it down 3 flights at super-speed before he stopped.

_Wait! If Thawne knew about this, that means it happened in the original timeline! If I stop them now, they might not save Bakugo!_

There was also a deeper reason for not wanting to reveal his knowledge. Barry was ashamed of being the cause of his friend's deaths in that dark future, and he was afraid to acknowledge it. Barry stumbled back into the wall, sliding down to a sitting position as he put his head in his hands.

_I-I messed it all up already! I'm such a horrible friend!_

Barry began to weep, knowing that he'd sent his friends to their death.

_My body is on the 10th floor if you change your mind._

Barry's eyes widened when he realized that there was still a way to save his friends, a way he dreaded committing to. Standing up, Barry gritted his teeth, tensing his fists as he turned and stared up the stairs.

_Make the right choice?_

Barry looked down, disappointed in himself with what he was about to do.

_I hate this, but sometimes, the heroic choice isn't the best one. Let's hope this is the right choice._

Barry sped up the stairs, ready to make his way to the 10th floor to wake up Golden Glider.

* * *

*HOOOOOOONK!*

"GAH!"

Eobard Thawne was jolted awake in his room by the sound of a train rattling overhead, the bar was located under the tracks of course. Sighing, he got up, feeling a strange ghost feeling in his stomach.

_Why do I feel like I just died inside?_

"Thawne!"

Shigaraki walked into the bedroom, standing idle as Thawne stretched his legs, "What seems to be the problem?"

"The kid's being a nuisance again." said Shigaraki, aggressively scratching his neck, "If I try and knock him out, I'll probably get pissed and kill him, I need you to do it."

Thawne grumbled on the inside, such petty work was beneath him. However, he needed to retain the respect of these villains if he wanted to work with them.

"I'll be right over." said Thawne, cracking his knuckles.

* * *

Barry slipped into the busy hospital corridor, keeping out of sight as medical workers hustled and bustled between rooms. Barry looked back into the stairway, checking to see if he was on the right floor. He breathed a sigh of relief when he read the number 10 on the side of the stairs.

_Alright, this is the floor._

Barry peered back into the corridor, noticing all the hospital rooms.

_Shit, she never told me which room._

Sighing, Barry raced into the hallway, speeding into each individual room in his search for Glider. As he moved down the hall, he could feel a strange tingle in his back.

_Before I fell off the tracks, I could feel my spine burning up whenever I ran, but this is different._

True enough, the feeling in his spine wasn't painful in the slightest. In fact, it was actually a little energizing, comforting even.

_Is my body...fixed?_

Barry thought back to the Black Flash, who cradled Barry's body before sending him back in time. He remembered the warmth washing over him during that moment, a warmth that seemed to affect him.

_This Black Flash, he did something to me before he sent me back. He must have healed me somehow._

Keeping pace, Barry slipped into the last room at the end of the hall. Closing the door behind him, Barry turned around to find an unpleasant sight.

_Oh god._

Lisa Snart's comatose form was laid out on the hospital bed in front of Barry, hooked up to various IV bags and a ventilator. Her body was horrifically burned, a far cry from the astral form projected in his room. While many parts of her body were bandaged up, other areas, such as around her face where the ventilator went, were exposed to the air. A portable gas generator sat in the back of the room next to a large mirror, ready to be used in case of a power outage.

Barry trembled, feeling a certain measure of guilt over being partially responsible for Glider's state.

_I...I can't let my guilt overwhelm me. I need to save my friends, and this is the only way now._

Raising his shaking hand, Barry slowly placed it on Lisa's shoulder and shook her body, "Glider?"

_How do I wake her? She's comatose so how did she-_

"You came!"

Barry yelped as Glider's astral projection appeared behind him, startling him and causing him to jump back a few feet.

"I-I can't believe it!" said Glider, "I thought for sure you weren't gonna help us."

"I..." said Barry, a little angry that he had to admit it, "I had a change of heart."

"Good! Then let's not waste any time." said Glider, pointing towards a mirror, "I'm gonna go tell Sam to open a portal in that mirror over there. I need you to hook me up to that portable generator and push me into the mirror so the speed villain won't be able to get me."

Barry nodded, quickly unplugging Glider and plugging her into the gas generator before turning it on. As the generator rumbled to life, Barry could hear footsteps shuffling around outside the door.

"What the? Who turned on the generator in there?"

"That's the room with the villain in it! Nobodies supposed to be in there!"

As the voices got louder and the footsteps began to get closer, Barry's eyes darted around, trying to find something to block the door. Spotting a pipe on the wall, Barry grabbed it, pulling it off and wedging it in the door handle. Barry stepped back, watching as the people behind the door struggled to open it.

"It's locked!"

"No, it isn't! My key isn't working! They must have blocked it from their side!"

Barry turned away from the door, spotting Mirror Master in the mirror.

"Hey kid!" said Mirror Master, "Get Lisa in here now!"

Barry obliged, pushing Lisa's hospital bed as well as the generator, ventilator, and IV bags into the mirror as someone began to bash against the door.

"This is a hospital guard! Open this door now!"

"Quick Flash!" said Glider, gesturing at Barry, "Before they break-in!"

Barry looked back and forth, knowing that he had to make a decision quickly. This was the last chance he had before he fully committed, should he go all-in with the Rogues, or should he remain on the side of justice.

_I…_

Barry took a deep breath.

_I have to save my friends._

Turning towards the Mirror, Barry dived into the mirror world.

* * *

 _Woah_.

Barry found himself in a place not dissimilar to the speed force in terms of appearance. The Mirror World felt just as blank as his own pocket dimension, but with the notable addition of thousands of mirrors. They floated above the ground, each leading to a different location. Looking down, Barry realized that the ground was also one big mirror.

"Flash! In the flesh once again!"

Barry turned around, spotting Mirror Master walking towards him. The bright orange and green costume that defined Scudder's appearance was gone, replaced with a strange glass looking version that reflected everything around it.

"I uh...like the new look Mirror Master." said Barry.

"Aw, thanks!" said Mirror Master, "I'm about to love your new look."

"My new look?" said Barry.

*CRACK!*

Mirror Master hit Barry with a nasty right hook, sending him reeling as Glider's astral form appeared between them.

"SAM!" said Glider, "We're supposed to be working together!"

"Maybe so," said Mirror Master, "but that doesn't mean he deserves a kiss and a hug after what he did to us."

Barry nursed his cheek, stumbling to a standing position, "I..I'm sorry."

Glider and Mirror Master turned to Barry, confused.

"What?" said Mirror Master, "You actually mean that?"

"I..I do." said Barry, "Make no mistake, the Rogues did horrible things and deserve to be in jail. But I never wanted anything like this to happen."

Mirror Master smiled and prepared to grill Barry verbally, but Glider put her hand up, stopping him.

"Listen, as good as an apology feels, we can't focus on that now." said Glider, "You want to save your friends, we want the Rogues free. If we want to act, it has to be now."

Barry nodded, "Alright, so what's first?"

Mirror Master walked over to one of the mirrors, touching it and revealing a prison bathroom.

"First, we get our fellow Rogues." said Mirror Master.

Barry cracked his knuckles and neck as he walked towards the portal, contemplating what he was about to do. Breaking the law and freeing dangerous villains wasn't the most heroic thing to do, but his friends needed help and he had to give it to them.

_I have to do this, for their sake._

And with that thought out of the way, Barry stepped through the mirror, ready to free his enemies.


	57. Prison Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a new course of action set, Barry must break out his old foes to get a fighting chance against Thawne, but Thawne my have other plans.

"Seiichi? Where are you?"

"I'm in the bathroom!"

A prison guard stood in front of the urinal, relieving himself as his partner stood outside. The two were working the night shift at Iron Heights, the prison located outside of Fukuoka. The guards sighed, tapping his feet as he began to finish up.

Behind him, the bathroom window sat over the sink, reflecting as it's always done. However, a small spark of yellow lightning seemed to dance across it for a split second.

"Almost done!" said the guard, zipping up his fly.

*WHOOSH!*

The guard whirled around, startled by the sudden gust of air, "Uh, Sho? You feel that?"

"Feel what?" said the guard outside.

"It's like a gust of wind." said the guard.

"Nope," said the guard outside, "Just get outta there, we're late on our patrol."

The guard sighed, "Fine, fine!"

The guard walked out of the bathroom, unaware of the fact that Barry was hiding in one of the stalls, gripping a keycard in his hand.

"Glider, I have the keycard," said Barry, "What next?"

Glider's astral form floated out of the mirror, addressing Barry through the stall door, "You'll have to find the central security room, find out where my brother, Mardon, and Jin are located. Be careful, you can't be caught or else both of our goals won't be realized."

Barry nodded, taking a deep breath before slipping out of the bathroom at super speed. He raced down a walkway overlooking rows upon rows of cells, charging up a staircase at super-speed before coming upon a door with a keycard lock. Barry quickly slipped the keycard through the slot, only to find that nothing happened.

_Let's try again._

Barry swiped the card, again resulting in nothing.

_What?_

"You're swiping too fast." said Glider, appearing behind Barry. Barry groaned, realizing that Glider was probably going to play the annoying little voice barking in his ear.

"Alright, I get it!" said Barry, swiping the keycard at a speed that wasn't superhuman. As the door let out a small beep, Barry could hear the lock disengage. Blitzing inside and locking the door behind him, Barry was met with a control panel. Tapping the touch screen of the panel, Barry was met with a list of prisoners as well as their cell numbers. An option to open said cells remotely was also placed there..

"Damn, there's got to be hundreds of these guys." said Barry, quickly flipping through the list of incarcerated people, "Luckily I've got super speed."

Scanning over the entire list quickly, Barry picked out all three of the people he needed to retrieve, "Jin is in a normal cell in block b. Weather Wizard and Captain Cold are in solitary cells directly across from one another. I can open Jin's cell from here but the solitary cells have to be opened physically."

"I'll guide Jin to the bathrooms, Sam can retrieve him there." said Glider, "If you could get my brother and Marco out of solitary, we could all meet back at the bathroom mirrors."

"Got it." said Barry, a little perturbed that he was taking orders from a villain, "It looks like they were all put on sedatives since the normal quirk cancellation technology doesn't work on them. They need a constant stream of the stuff so once we unhook them they should be awake enough to fight."

As Barry turned to leave, Glider called out to him.

"Hey wait!" said Glider, getting Barry's attention, "I just want to say that...even though you've caused a lot of damage to the Rogues, the others, especially my brother, tend to forget that you're just a kid. For what it's worth, we never wanted to hurt you."

Barry cocked his head, surprised by the genuine sorrow that Glider displayed, "I...thank you."

Turning away, Barry quickly raced out of the room, leaving Glider to open Jin's door.

* * *

Thawne had a headache.

Sure, it was milder than mild, but it was still distracting as he sat behind the bar, nursing a drink next to the unconscious Bakugou.

_Still about an hour before the heroes attack._

Taking another sip of whiskey, Thawne let out a quiet groan as another mild headache came on.

_What the hell is this?_

*HOOOONK!*

Thawne's eyes widened as the image of an oncoming train flashed in front of him. Jumping back, Thawne felt his heart stop then beat again.

_Was that a...time flash?_

The time flash was a phenomenon in which a person attuned to the negative speed force could notice that time had changed. Thawne had experienced these flashes every time he changed time himself, but in this particular instance, he wasn't the culprit.

_But who could change time other than me? Only I know where the cosmic treadmill is._

Thawne froze in his tracks, his heart beating just a little faster.

_But what if Allen found out where it was?_

Thawne's heartbeat now thundered on a mile a minute as he stood up, changing into his costume at super speed.

_If he went back in time, he might try to erase my existence. I've gotta check on the treadmill just to be safe._

And with that, Thawne sped out of the bar, streaking across the city streets towards the Nomu warehouse.

* * *

Barry raced along the walkway, moving faster than the eye could see. A blur to the eyes of a normal person, Barry sprinted past each and every cell, hoping that his speed would get him by without being seen. This prison was a large multi-story facility with rows upon rows of cells spread out next to metal catwalks. Unfortunately for Barry, Solitary was below ground, far away from the rest of the facility and Barry's current position.

_Alright, Solitary's down in the basement of this facility. As long as I'm not seen I should be fine._

Spotting a staircase, Barry raced down, clearing flights upon flights of stairs in seconds. Reaching the ground floor, he began to streak across the cellblock bottom, looking for a route to solitary. Spotting a sign posted above a large metal auto door, Barry slid to a stop, inspecting the keycard swiper.

_Alright, almost there._

Barry swiped the card, only to be met with an automated message.

"Clearance level insufficient. Access denied."

"Shit." said Barry, shoving the card into his pocket, "guess I'm gonna have to do it the hard way."

Closing his eyes, Barry vibrated his molecules, slowly stepping through the auto door. Emerging on the other side, Barry was now in an empty corridor with two massive metal doors on either side.

_Alright, these should be Cold and Weather Wizard's cells._

Racing to the cell on his left, Barry opened the little sliding slot on the door, peering inside. Snart sat in the middle of the room, his back to the wall. The guards hadn't even bothered to take his costume off, they just hooked him up to the sedative with an IV bag and left him there. Looking around for a handle, Barry growled in frustration when he noticed a hole built for a normal key.

_Welp, there's always phasing._

Vibrating his molecules once again, Barry walked through the door, entering the padded solitary cell. Walking up to Snart, Barry noted that his eyes were closed, the drugs keeping him asleep. As he reached for the bag to unhook it from Snart, Barry hesitated.

_Should I really do this? Snart is a criminal, one who's demonstrated that he's willing to commit murder too._

Barry's mind flashed to his friends, and the fate they would endure if he could not help them.

_This is an impossible choice, but it's one I have to make._

Barry ripped the drip out of Snart's arm, watching as the sedative began to spill onto the floor. Barry leaned over, watching as Snart's eyes slowly opened. Noticing that they were unfocused, Barry waved his hand in front of Snart's face.

"Cold," whispered Barry, "Cold!"

"What the-" mumbled Snart, rubbing his eyes before realizing who was in front of him, "Flash?"

"Listen, I know this is confusing, but you gotta trust me ok." said Barry, looking over his shoulder, "We gotta get outta he-URK!"

Snart's hand shot up and grabbed Barry's throat. His arm freezing over already, Snart stood up, lifting Barry off the ground, "What are you doing here?!" he snarled angrily.

"I-GUGK!"

Barry attempted to say something, but Snart's grip tightened, closing off his airway.

"Did you come here to gloat? To make fun of me after you beat me again!" shouted Snart, "Well guess what? That's the last mistake you'll ever make!"

Snart raised his free hand, creating an ice dagger and preparing to stab Barry. Barry's eyes widened as he struggled against Snart's grip.

_No, I've come too far for it to end this way!_

"LEONARD!"

Glider's astral form descended from the ceiling, calling out to Snart. Whirling around, Snart's angry expression dropped immediately, replaced by pure shock. Letting go of Barry, Snart fell to his knees as Barry coughed, regaining his breath.

"L-Lisa?" said Snart, "Is that you?"

"It is Leonard." said Glider, a smile on her face, "I'm really here."

"Glider!" said Barry, "What about Jin?!"

"I'll get him later!" said Glider.

Snart remained shocked, barely able to get a word out, "B-But...I got a...the hospital told me you were dead!"

"It was a lie," said Glider, "from the speedster villain."

"The...speedster villain?" said Snart.

"She means Thawne," said Barry, standing up straight, "or Reverse Flash, whoever you call him."

"Reverse...Him?!" said Snart, "But why would he-"

"To get you on his side," said Glider, "and with you on his side, the Rogues were with you too."

Snart couldn't believe his ears. As he stood there flabbergasted, he began to finally understand what had happened to him. His fists tensed up as he gritted his teeth, "That son of a bitch, he played us!"

"And we'll get our revenge." said Glider, "But first we have to get out of here."

Suddenly, alarms began to blare as red lights filled the cell. Metal panels slid up and over the cell door, doubling its durability.

"What the hell?!" said Glider.

"I must have triggered the alarm when I unhooked Cold from the sedative." said Barry, "We have to move."

Barry grabbed onto Snart, preparing to vibrate his molecules.

"What the?" said Snart, "What're you-"

Barry blitzed forward with Snart, vibrating both their molecules as he took them through the door. Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Snart pushed Barry away from him, putting his hands on his knees as he resisted the urge to vomit.

"Ugh." said Snart, "That sucked."

"Well, we have to go through one more door to get to Weather Wizard." said Barry, grabbing Snart again, but Snart slapped Barry's hand away.

"No way pal, I've got this one." said Snart.

Walking up to the cell door, Snart placed his hands on the metal. After a brief moment, Frost crept across the door at an alarming rate from Snart's hands, eventually encasing the whole thing. Pulling his fist back, Snart punched the door, shattering it into a million pieces.

"That...works too." said Barry.

Walking into the cell, the trio came upon the same sight that Barry found Snart to be in. Mardon was hooked up to an IV bag, splayed out on the ground completely unconscious. Suddenly, the thunderous footsteps of multiple armed guards came from the center hallway, entering the earshot of the trio.

"Shit, guards are here!" said Snart, raising his arms and creating an ice wall around the doorway, "This'll hold them off!"

Barry turned to Glider, "Glider, tell Mirror Master to make a portal in Cold's ice down here! We'll drag Weather Wizard through there!"

"Got it!" said Glider, flying upward and through the ceiling, leaving Barry and Snart alone with the unconscious Mardon. After the ice was firm enough so that it wasn't see-through, Snart sighed, turning around to face Barry.

"So...She has powers." said Snart.

"Y-Yeah." said Barry, "She does."

A moment of awkward silence ensued as the two sat down and waited for Mirror Master to show up. The army of footsteps stopped in front of the ice wall, and the sounds of batons bashing against the frost were now audible.

"I gotta ask, why are you helping me escape?" asked Snart, confused, "We've been at each other's throats since we first met."

Barry looked away, refusing to meet Snart's eyes, "I...need help rescuing someone, but they're in Thawne's clutches and I can't endanger my other friends to help."

"So you came to us huh?" said Snart, cracking his knuckles, "Sure you don't just want help offing Reverse-Flash."

Barry shuddered, terrified of the thoughts once again entering his mind, "N-No! Never!"

"Whatever you say, kid." said Snart, shrugging, "So...What are you gonna do with us after tonight?"

Barry turned around, "What?"

Snart eyed Barry with a terrifying intensity, "You gonna put us back in here after we're done doing your dirty work?"

*Bonk* *Bonk* *Bonk*

Snart and Barry turned to find Scudder rapping against the ice, gesturing for them to enter the mirror world. Barry nodded, unhooking Mardon from the IV bag as Snart entered the reflection. Now carrying Mardon, Barry rushed him into the reflection, entering the mirror world.

* * *

Scudder walked to Snart as he entered, "Good to see you again."

"Sam, give me one good reason why you couldn't come to us and warn us?" said Snart.

Sam nervously took a step back, "I-uh...can't leave the mirror world."

Snart sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Ugh, fair enough."

"Oh," groaned Mardon, rubbing his head as he sat up, "my head?"

"Get up Mardon," said Snart, "We've got work to do."

Mardon rubbed his eyes, stumbling to a standing position as he shook his head, "What? A job?"

Jin stumbled through a mirror portal, followed by Glider, "For real? We actually gonna help him?"

"Help who?!" said Mardon, "Fill me in for Christ's sake!"

Mardon spotted Barry standing a good distance from the Rogues, "Hey, what's he doing here?!"

"We've been had, Mardon," said Snart, "so he's giving us a chance at revenge."

"Revenge?" said Mardon, "The hell do you mean?"

It was then that Mardon spotted Glider floating above everyone, "W-Wha?"

"It's a long story." said Glider, "My death got faked by Reverse-Flash. You all got tricked."

Mardon sighed, "Damnit, so that's who we're taking revenge on?"

"Yeah," said Snart, "and the Flash is gonna point us right to him."

Snart walked over to Barry, snapping to get his attention, "Alright, now that we're all out, we can head off to the villain bar. That's where we'll retrieve Rory and Jesse and fight Reverse Flash."

"Wait!" said Barry, realizing that the hero attack was starting soon, "The heroes will be attacking that location, but the villains will escape to another location, A warehouse in Kamino."

"What?" said Snart, "How do you know all this?!"

"I just do OK!" said Barry, continuing, "Listen to me, when they arrive, they'll arrive with my friend. I'll need Mirror Master to drop me off nearby so I can warn some friends. Meanwhile, you can engage the villains, fighting them off as revenge for their manipulation."

Snart eyed Barry with a hint of skepticism, "Alright kid, show us where the warehouse is."

Barry nodded, taking off and speeding through the mirror world, attempting to find the right mirror. After a few seconds, he slid to a stop in front of one, "This is it!"

Looking through, Barry could see the ruins of the Kamino warehouse, now completely destroyed. He had a small moment of silence, knowing that the Cosmic treadmill was destroyed again as the Rogues approached from behind.

"Alright," said Snart, "Mardon, Jin, head through, I need to have a talk with Flash before this all starts off."

Mardon and Jin nodded, walking through the portal as Snart put his hand on Barry's shoulder, "Listen kid, I know we haven't exactly been...friendly to each other, but for what it's worth, Thank you."

"What?" said Barry.

"You brought the Rogues back together after the accident." said Snart, "You reunited my family,"

"I..." said Barry, having trouble finding the words to respond, "Sorry, I never expected this from you, Cold."

"Don't go thinking we're on good terms though," said Snart, "I know you're planning to put us away after we're done with Reverse-Flash."

Barry stood firm, barely keeping a straight face, "Maybe, but that doesn't matter at the moment. Right now, you need me and I need you."

Snart stared Barry down, his gaze drilling into Barry's soul, "Hrmph, you make a good point."

"Guys?!"

Glider gestured at Barry and Snart, beckoning them to go through the portal, "Let's go, we don't have all night!"

Glider slipped through the portal, leaving only Snart, Barry, and Scudder behind.

"Sam, sit tight, you're our getaway." said Snart.

"You got it." said Scudder.

Snart nodded, turning and walking towards the portal with Barry. The duo stopped right in front of the mirror, neither quite ready to go yet.

"You know," said Snart, "if things had turned out differently, you woulda made a great Rogue."

"That's funny," said Barry, "because I was thinking that you could've made one hell of a hero."

Neither Barry nor Snart knew if they were being sarcastic or serious, but they did know that if they wanted to work together, they had to get into each other's skins. That banter did just that.

Taking a deep breath, both hero and Rogue stepped into the portal, ready to face their greatest enemy.


	58. Battle of Kamino: Villains Vs. Rogues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Rogues out of prison, Barry is ready to re-enter the battle of Kamino with his newfound allies, but will they be enough to overcome Thawne's calculating mind.

The flashbang dropped in from the side of the wall as Jay pulled his hand back, listening as the villains inside the bar yelped as the flashbang went off. Racing around the side of the building, Jay tightened his fists, prepared to do what was necessary as he reached the door.

_I have to take Thawne down right away, or else it's all over._

Bursting through the door, Jay laid eyes on the villains before him. Heatwave and Dabi knelt on the ground, hands over their eyes as they groaned in pain as Toga and Twice stumbled about, dazed. Trickster was on the floor next to Kurogiri as Shigaraki leaned up against a wall. As Jay scanned the room, he noticed that a certain speedster was missing from the lineup in front of him.

_No! Could he possibly have..._

Jay's eyes widened when he realized that his target, the person who posed the biggest threat to their mission, was still out there. He raced through the room, cracking Heatwave and Dabi in the head and doing Gran Torino's job for him as he grabbed Shigaraki, slamming him into the wall as All-Might burst through the wall with Gran Torino and Kamui Woods.

"WE ARE HE-"

All Might's signature catchphrase was interrupted when he witnessed Jay crack Shigaraki across the face, Angrily screaming "WHERE IS HE?!"

"Garrick, calm down!" shouted Gran Torino, rocketing over to Jay and attempting to pull him away from Shigaraki.

"You don't understand!" said Jay, pushing Torino off his body, "Thawne isn't here!"

Torino's eyes widened, "What?! Where did he go?!"

"I'm trying to ask that question now!" said Jay, turning back to Shigaraki, "Where is he?!"

Shigaraki hazily swung his head side to side, completely dazed from the flashbang, "I don't know where he is, but even if I did I wouldn't tell you."

"DAMNIT!" shouted Jay, tossing Shigaraki to the side, "We have to find him, or this whole plan could get derailed!"

"Garrick!"

Endeavor shouted out Jay's name from outside, prompting him to speed over to the opening in the wall, "What is it?!"

"We've lost communications with the warehouse team." said Endeavor, "Could be the Speedster villain."

Jay tightened his fists, "I'll get over there now!"

"Wait," said All-Might, stopping Jay by putting a hand on his shoulder, "Is it really a good idea to send you after Thawne alone? The plan was to catch him by surprise, can you handle him in a straight fight?"

Jay narrowed his eyes, "I'm going to have to, though with the enhancer I should be at equal speed."

Jay got into a running position, "Keep everyone locked down here, hopefully this will all be sorted out soon."

Jay took off, leaving the bar behind in a millisecond. As he streaked across the streets of Kamino, he could feel the Tachyon Enhancer tapping into his connection to the speed force, taking more energy than ever before. His heart burned, but he refused to stop, he still had a job to do.

_C'mon Jay, just one more push._

* * *

Barry and Snart landed in the dark alleyway, flanked by Jin and Mardon. Just as they exited the mirror world, a loud BOOM became audible as chunks of debris flew over everyone's heads, kicking up dust and smoke into the air.

"What the hell was that?!" said Jin.

"That was..." said Barry, shaking his head, "That was a really dangerous villain destroying the warehouse. You need to stay out of sight while I get my friend out of here."

"Hey!" said Snart, "Last time I checked, you weren't in charge."

"Just listen!" said Barry, "I've seen what that villain will do. He'll annihilate you without a second thought if you're not careful."

Barry checked his watch, "Wait 20 minutes, then attack. He'll be preoccupied then."

Snart looked puzzled, "How the hell do you know that?"

"I just do." said Barry, "Please, trust me on this."

Snart sighed, grumbling as he cracked his knuckles, "Fine. We'll wait."

"Thanks." said Barry, turning around and getting into a runners position, "It won't be long."

Barry raced off in a burst of lightning, kicking up dust as the Rogues stood back, shielding their eyes. Coughing as the dust subsided, Snart gritted his teeth, "I'm starting to get tired of this kid saying his stuff then taking off."

Barry slid to a stop at the end of the alley, now faced with the destroyed warehouse in front of him. Sifting through the wreckage with his eyes, Barry spotted the pro heroes meant to clear the warehouse out. Amidst the dust and debris, Barry picked out Mt. Lady, Best Jeanist, Tiger, and Ragdoll.

Unfortunately, the imposing villain was there too.

All for One floated just above the wreckage, scanning the area to see if he could pick out any stray heroes. Realizing that the pros were out of his reach, Barry resigned himself to just finding his friends.

_They were on the west side if I remember correctly, so if I circle the area…_

Barry zipped around the perimeter of the warehouse, sliding to a stop on the other side of the warehouse.

_There!_

As soon as Barry stopped, he spotted all five of his friends hugging a broken wall opposite All for One. They were completely silent, standing in complete fear of the villain after doubtlessly witnessing his destructive power. Barry knew that power well too, as it had annihilated his friends in the previous dark timeline. Keeping quiet, Barry sped over to his friends, "Guys!" he whispered.

Midoriya almost yelped in surprise before Barry clamped his hand over his mouth. Kirishima's eyes practically popped out of his sockets while Iida stood in shock, adjusting his glasses to see if Barry was really there. Yaoyorozu and Todoroki expressed a similar amount of surprise.

"B-Barry?" said Iida, "What are you doing here? I thought you said you weren't in the right headspace?"

"I'm fine now." said Barry, "I cleared my head. Now trust me when I say we have to get out of here."

"What?!" said Kirishima, "But what about Bakugou? We can't leave him!"

"You have to trust me!" said Barry, "Or else you'll all be-"

Barry stopped mid-sentence, realizing that telling them exactly why they should run would open up a nasty can of worms. Unfortunately, Iida caught on.

"Or else we'll all be what?" asked Iida.

"I-I can't say." said Barry.

"Yes you can." said Iida, "We came to save Bakugou and we need to do it."

"I have a plan for that," said Barry, "but you need to get out of here. Soon the villains will be here and the heroes will come to fight them. I'll snag Bakugou during the chaos."

Barry left out the fact that the Rogues would also back him up, considering the fact that it wouldn't be very pleasant for him if his friends knew he broke out known criminals.

"That's a terrible plan!" said Midoriya, "You'd be going out there alone and with an injured body too. Plus, how do you know all of that will happen?!"

*Thud*

Barry was interrupted by the sounds of feet hitting the ground as All for One teleported the villains to the warehouse. Barry peeked over the wall, counting all the villains.

"B-Barry," said Yaoyorozu, "How did you know they would be here?"

"I just-" Barry stopped, he knew he had to be careful about telling people about time travel, but he could trust his friends, he knew that well, "Time travel."

Todoroki's eyes widened, "Time Travel?! You can do that?!"

"Hey, I'm more than just a guy that runs fast, you know that." said Barry, turning to Iida, "No offense Iida."

"None taken," said Iida, shaking his head in disbelief, "So when you say you went back in time, you...saw all this unfold?"

"Mostly," said Barry, scanning over the villains, "I'm trying to make it end differently."

"End differently?" said Midoriya, "What went wrong?"

Barry was silent, hiding his face from the others so they wouldn't see that he was trying to hold back tears. He wouldn't see them die again, he'd make sure of it. Gazing over the rest of the villains, Barry realized that someone was missing. The most important person was missing.

"Hold on." said Barry, "Where's Thawne?"

"I'm right here Barry."

Barry's heart stopped as he whirled around, only to catch a fist to the face as Thawne suddenly appeared behind the group. Kirishima reacted first, throwing a punch at Thawne only for Thawne to effortlessly dodge, grabbing him by the head and slamming him into the building behind him. Putting Kirishima into a headlock, Thawne grinned as he put his back to a sheet of unbroken glass.

"Let go of me!" said Kirishima.

"Kirishima!" yelped Iida, barely quiet enough to not get noticed.

"I've gotta hand it to you Barry, you almost pulled a fast one on me." said Thawne, "Unfortunately for you, I've got an embedded defense to these sorts of things."

Barry stood up, nursing his cheek, "H-How did you-"

"Time flashes." said Thawne, "They're an occurrence I feel whenever time is changed, so I was able to figure out that you're messing with the events I put into place. I went to check on the cosmic treadmill, now in pieces over yonder, but it was fine."

Thawne's grin grew wider, "So I decided to wait around, knowing that you, in all your predictable moves, would bend over backwards to keep your friends safe. And for what?!"

Thawne laughed, chuckling at Barry, "You can't beat me alone, and even with your friends you've got no chance!"

Barry was silent, keeping his eyes directly on Thawne. He had to get Kirishima out of Thawne's grip and take him out of the picture, or else all would be lost. As Thawne droned on, Barry noticed a glint in the glass behind Thawne.

_Could that be?_

Sure enough, Scudder had snuck up on Thawne, smiling as he prepared a portal behind the speedster. All Thawne needed was a push and the threat he posed would be removed from the present. Barry sized Thawne up, unaware that Iida and Midoriya were doing the same.

"Well? Say something!" said the triumphant Thawne.

"Here's the thing Thawne," said Barry, "Maybe I can't beat you with or without my friends, but you never considered that I had more help than that."

Thawne raised his eyebrow, "Really? And who would that be-"

Barry burst forward before Thawne could finish his sentence, ready to tackle Thawne into the mirror world. As he surged ahead, Barry noticed out of the corner of his eye that Iida had blasted towards Thawne using recipro boost while Midoriya leaped at Thawne using his own hypercharged power.

_Shit!_

Barry's intention was to tackle Thawne, freeing Kirishima from his grip and sending them both into the mirror world where he could keep Thawne trapped. However, with Iida and Midoriya didn't know that, they just thought Barry was going to attack Thawne. Unable to stop his friends, Barry along with Iida and Midoriya collided with Thawne and Kirishima, sending all five of them into the mirror world as Yaoyorozu and Todoroki watched on in terror.

"W-Where'd they go?!" said Yaoyorozu.

"I...I think they went into the mirror!" said Todoroki.

* * *

Jay was almost out of breath, zipping through traffic like the Crimson Comet he was. He already failed to stop an evil speedster once, he wouldn't let it happen again. Pushing himself to the breaking point, Jay sped off the main street and into the alleyways. He bobbed and weaved around corners until he finally arrived at the now destroyed warehouse. Not only was Jay surprised to see all the heroes knocked down and the area in ruins, but he was also surprised by the fact that the villains were all here now instead of at the bar.

_How did they… Damn, must have been some kind of teleportation quirk. Thawne is nowhere to be seen here either._

Jay slid to a stop at the side of the rubble, peeking out over the wreckage to count which villains were there and which ones were unconscious. Heatwave and Dabi were still out cold, but Trickster, Spinner, Twice, Toga, Shigaraki, Magne and Compress were still up. Scanning the ruins, Jay spotted an unrestrained Bakugou amongst the villains, though he definitely didn't look at home among them.

_I should keep searching for Thawne, but that kid's still in danger. Even if I can't beat all the villains, I can get Bakugou out of there._

Steeling himself, Jay burst out from cover, making a dead sprint for Bakugou as the villains whirled around in shock.

"What the?! A hero already?!" said Spinner.

"Get him!" shouted Compress.

As Jay zigged and zagged through the villains, dodging swings and strikes from each and every one of them, he honed in on Bakugou, who's eyes widened, "What the?!"

"Don't worry chum!" said Jay, reaching his hand out, "You'll be out of here before you know it."

Just as Jay was about to reach Bakugou, he felt his body stop all at once. His arms and legs froze as a large imposing villain floated towards him.

"Ah, a speed quirk?" said All for One, "This will make a fine addition to my collection."

_W-Who is that?!_

As Jay struggled against the villains quirk, he marched closer and closer, planting his massive hand against Jay's temple.

"Hmm?" said All for One, "I cannot feel your quirk?"

Jay struggled silently against All for One's invisible grip as he walked back, "If I cannot have your quirk, then shall have your life."

Jay's eyes widened as All for One raised his fist to back Jay's head into a pulp. Jay struggled against his invisible bonds as All for One brought his fist down on Jay.

_Damnit!_

*KRAKAKAKOOM!*

Jay averts his eyes as a massive bolt of lightning strikes All for One, causing him to flinch and release Jay from his grip. Taking the opportunity, Jay raced towards Bakugou, grabbing him and whisking him away from the villains. However, just as he got out of the villain's immediate vicinity, his eyes widened as he found the ruins surrounded by a massive wall of ice. The wall stretched around the perimeter, completely cutting off any escape or exit.

"What the?" said Toga, "What's with the ice sculptures?!"

"That would be us you backstabbing bastards."

The villains looked up to see Snart, Jin, and Mardon standing atop the wall. As the three hopped down into the ruins, Trickster began to smile, "Snart! Mardon! You guys got out!"

"Hey, I'm here too!" said Jin.

Shigaraki stepped forward, "Good, you're here," He pointed at Jay and Bakugou, "NOW HELP US KILL THEM!"

Bakugou began to wrestle against Jay's grip, screaming, "YEAH? COME AND TRY YOU PANSIES!"

Shigaraki whirled towards Snart, "WELL?!"

Snart stood silent for a moment before cracking his knuckles, "How about this instead!"

Creating a layer of frost around his fist, Snart cracked Shigaraki right in the face, knocking off his face mask and sending him reeling.

"SNART! What the hell was that?!" said Trickster, backing up a little in fear that he'd be next.

"Grab Rory and get behind me Jesse," said Snart, cracking his neck, "These bastards lied to us. Glider is alive."

"What?!" said Trickster, "How?!"

"I'll show you later." said Snart, "But for now, we've gotta teach these bastards a lesson."

Trickster shook his head in disbelief but did as he was told, quickly grabbing Rory as the villains converged on the rogues.

"You think you can beat us?" said Twice, pointing back at All for One, "With that guy at our backs?"

"I AM HERE!" All Might crashed into All for One from the sky, sending dust and debris everywhere and entering a brawl with the villain.

"Heh," said Snart, "Looks like he's a little occupied."

Shigaraki picked up his spare hand, placing it on his face again, "LEAGUE! KILL THESE SNAKES!"

Shigaraki sounded off a war cry as the League charged Snart and his fellow Rogues. Snart smirked, bracing himself before letting out his own war cry, "ROGUES! GIVE THEM HELL!"

The two sides charged at each other, all engaging different opponents. Jin and Magne magnetized their own metallic projectiles and began flinging them at each other as Mardon flew high above, dodging Spinner's many bladed shurikens. Toga dashed at Trickster, swinging her knives back and forth while Twice and Shigaraki attacked Snart at the same time, putting him on the back foot immediately. Jay and Bakugou watched the war rage on in shock.

"Villains are fighting...villains?" said Bakugou, "What world are we in right now?"

"The right one." said Jay, subtly turning around, "Alright, I'm gonna get you outta here while they're distracte-"

"YOINK!"

Before Jay and Bakugou could even react, Compress leaped at them both from above, tapping and compressing Bakugou into a small marble.

"NO!" shouted Jay, preparing to swing at Compress when he felt a sharp pain in his chest, "Augh."

Falling to one knee, Jay clutched his heart, noting the Tachyon Enhancer's effect on him as Compress jumped back.

"If you want to take him back," said Compress, "You'll have to catch me first!"

Jay watched in frustration as Compress leaped away, goading him to follow. Jay gritted his teeth, bracing himself against the pain as he raced forward, trying to catch compress. As he moved ahead, He spotted Snart out of the corner of his eye having trouble with Shigaraki. While he had managed to freeze Twice solid, Shigaraki had him by the wrists, using his quirk to break the ice around his forearms. Soon, his quirk would eat through Snart's real arms.

Cursing himself, Jay changed course, slamming into Shigaraki just as he was about to finish Snart. Snart scrambled to a standing position, looking Jay right in the eyes, "Who the hell are you supposed to be?!"

"The Flash." said Jay.

"Hmm," groaned Snart, "How many Flashes are there?"

"Just two I'm afraid." said Jay.

"Grr, One is enough." said Snart.

"KILL YOU!"

Snart and Jay turned to find that Shigaraki had gotten back up and was now ready to fight again. Jay faced Shigaraki alongside Snart as he prepared to attack.

"I need to get the compress villain, but there's too much chaos and I can't do it alone." said Jay.

"Lemme guess? You help us thin the herd and we help you catch your friend?" said Snart.

Jay grimaced, "...Yeah."

"Then what are you waiting for?" said Snart, "Start punching em!"

Shigaraki let out a roar before charging as Jay and Snart did the same.

* * *

Barry tumbled into the mirror world, his mind racing as Thawne untangled himself from Kirishima, racing away in a specific direction and putting some distance between himself and the heroes. Midoriya and Iida also scrambled to their feet, gazing in awe at the mirror world.

"W-Where are we?!" said Midoriya.

"It looks like some alternative dimension!" said Iida.

As everyone took in the mirror world, Thawne's eyes darted around in surprise, "Y-You brought me into the mirror world?!"

"Hell yeah, he did."

Scudder appeared from behind one of the many floating mirrors, throwing his hands up in a showboaty way, "You're on my turf now!"

Glider rose above Scudder, her fists clenched, "And mine too."

Thawne raised an eyebrow before turning back to Barry, "Really Barry? You brought me here to have them fight your battle for you?"

As much as Barry would like to say this was all going according to plan, he was actually thinking on his feet and doing an extremely terrible job of it. But even though everything seemed to be going wrong, he knew that he had to think of something to get them out of this.

And then it came to him all at once.

"B-Barry?" said Midoriya, "What's going on?"

"I'll explain, but trust me, I have a plan." said Barry, "A new one since the old one is kinda in flames now."

Midoriya was still terribly confused, but out of the need to cling to anything that remotely made sense, went along with it, "Alright, so is the no combat thing done?"

"It absolutely is not!" said Iida, "We cannot break this rule!"

"I don't think this villain's giving us a choice." said Kirishima, hardening up, "And stealth isn't exactly an option anymore."

"Trust me, Thawne'll be down for the count and Bakugou will be safe if we play our cards right." said Barry.

"Really?" said Thawne, "You sure about that?"

Thawne raced towards Barry and his friends, ready to tear them limb from limb when a mirror suddenly appeared in front of him, sending him about 50 meters from the group, "What the?!"

"Sorry Thawe, but like I said, you're in my world now." said Scudder.

Scudder floated towards Thawne on a flying mirror, smirking as he sized Thawne up. Thawne growled as Scudder cracked his knuckles, "And in the Mirror World, The Mirror Master is KING!"


	59. Battle Of Kamino: A War On Two Fronts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Battle of Kamino in full swing, Jay has made a temporary alliance with the Rogues, hoping to use the extra manpower to save Bakugou. Meanwhile, Mirror Master and Golden Glider have engaged in a heated battle with Reverse-Flash in the mirror world as Barry and his friends attempt to save Bakugou from their end.

Jay landed a one two punch on Shigaraki in quick succession, watching as shigaraki stumbled backwards into Snart, who hit him with a healthy ice blast. Shigaraki cried out in pain as he was sent flying, crashing into a pile of debris while frozen as Jay quickly slid up next to Snart.

"I have to get to compress, before he gets away with Bakugou." said Jay.

"Relax. The whole block is walled in with my ice," said Snart, referring to the twenty-meter walls surrounding the battle, "Even if he could get out, he wouldn't leave his compatriots."

"Damn right! Nobody in the league betrays each other!"

Twice reappeared, sporting an extra copy of Dabi while brandishing a pair of knives himself. As the Dabi clone unleashed a torrent of flame, Snart countered it with his own blast of ice, counteracting the attack. The two stood against each other, sustaining their attacks so one wouldn't get one over on the other.

"Oh boy!" said Twice, leaping at Snart while he was distracted, "Time to strike!"

*Thwack!*

Jay sped by Twice, punching him in the side of the head and sending him spinning into the air as Snart groaned, struggling to keep his stream of ice up, the frost around his forearms melting.

"Flash! Get the clone!" shouted Snart.

Jay obliged, taking his hat off as he moved behind the clone at super speed. Placing the hat on the clone, Jay smacked the hat with both hands while vibrating at super-speed, exploding the clone in an outburst of mud. Snart fell to his hands and knees, panting as the frost on his forearms began to creep back.

Jay sped up to Snart, "What's the plan?"

Snart stood up, "We thin the herd, disable the more dangerous ones together, that should help weaken the opposition enough for you to do your job and for us to do ours."

Jay nodded, "Alright, who's next on our plate?"

"RAAGH!"

Jay and Snart turned around to spot Shigaraki roar as he used his quirk to decay the ice around him, freeing himself as he rose from his point of impact, "You're dead. DEAD!"

Snart cracked his knuckles, "I can handle this guy alone, you go help the other rogues!"

Jay nodded, "Good luck!"

* * *

Thawne's fist collided with one of Mirror Master's mirrors, shattering it completely as another one popped up. Mirror Master chuckled, watching as Thawne angrily swung his fists, shattering mirror after mirror.

"You can't hide Mirror Master!" shouted Thawne, "It's only a matter of time!"

"Maybe!" said Mirror Master, who's reflection now cast across every mirror in front of Thawne, "but I'll be sure to stretch that time out for a while!"

Thawne felt a force strike the back of his head, causing him to tumble forward. Looking up, Thawne made eye contact with Glider as she floated above.

"If you're here then your physical body should be here too." said Thawne, "It won't take long for me to find it and snuff you out."

"Good luck with that." said Glider, "My body's been coated in illusions."

Back at the original portal, Barry quickly took stock of who was with him, noting that Kirishima, Iida, and Midoriya were still here. As powerful as Mirror Master was in this aspect of reality, he didn't know how long he would last against the evil speedster.

"Iida, I need you to go out through the mirror and lead Todoroki and Yaoyorozu to the storefront windows near the widescreen monitor on the main street. Stick to the back alleys so you aren't seen!" said Barry, "The plan is for Mirror Master to bring Bakugou out of the real world and into the mirror world. From there we can escape to you and the others, then we make a run for it."

Iida nodded, though definitely still a bit nervous, "But what about you, as well as Midoriya and Kirishima?"

"We'll be the ones who get Bakugou to come through." said Barry, "Midoriya's known Bakugou since they were kids and Kirishima's the closest thing Bakugou had to a best friend. Once he comes through, we'll take him to you and we'll all get out of here."

Iida stood still for a moment, not completely sure of whether or not the plan would work, "But what about Thawne?"

"Mirror Master and Glider will keep him occupied for now." said Barry, "I know this is a bad situation, but this is the best we've got. Are you with me?"

Iida seemed uneasy, but eventually nodded, "Alright, I'm ready."

Barry turned towards the battle between Thawne and the Rogues within the mirrorverse, "Mirror Master, I need a portal opened now!"

"KINDA HARD TO MULTITASK!" shouted Scudder, who wasn't visible from this angle, "...It's open!"

Iida jumped through the mirror as Barry grabbed Midoriya and Kirishima, speeding them away from that portal to an area with a small set of mirrors forming a circle.

"What's this?" asked Midoriya.

"This is the collection of portals leading into the destroyed block where the rest of the Rogues should be fighting the League," said Barry, "and it's where we'll pull Bakugou in."

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Kirishima, "Why would he step into a mysterious portal?"

Barry turned to Kirishima, "Because hopefully, you'll ask him to, and he'll be convinced since you're his friend."

Kirishima looked at Barry in silence for a moment before taking a deep breath and turning his attention to the mirrors, "So we'll just have to wait until he shows up in one of these?"

"Don't worry, if Captain Cold did what I think he did, then we'll have plenty of windows back into the real world," said Barry, "and hopefully, that means Bakugou will pass by one of them."

Kirishima nodded, "Then let's get searching."

Meanwhile, Glider threw another punch at Thawne, only for him to dive underneath it, sliding to the side before standing back up again, "Too slow!"

A shadow loomed over Thawne as he looked up, only to find that a giant mirror was falling from the sky. Blitzing out of the way, Thawne watched as the mirror shattered behind him, its massive pieces tumbling everywhere.

"I know you, Scudder, I've fought you many times." said Thawne, tightening his fists, "You may have new powers, but you always use the same bag of tricks!"

Suddenly, several mirror versions of Thawne appeared out of nowhere, encircling Thawne as Mirror Master appeared, floating high above Thawne on top of a horizontal mirror, "Does this look like a bag of tricks you've seen before?"

Thawne chuckled to himself as he got into a fighting stance, "Of course it does."

* * *

Jay raced through the ruins of the warehouse, dodging death amidst the chaos of All-Might and All for One's titanic battle. He could try to help, but he'd likely be obliterated in the process. Besides, he had a job to do.

Spinner yowled in frustration as he uselessly tossed his ninja stars at Weather Wizard, who effortlessly dodged them during his flight before bringing down another bolt of lightning. Spinner dodged the attack, diving out of the way as the bolt crashed against the ground. Nearby, Jin and Magne were locked in an intense duel of magnetism as Magne tossed concrete pillars at Jin, who countered by tossing metal girders in response.

"Ack!" said Spinner, who was getting real tired of being ineffective against Mardon, "Magne! Let's swap opponents!"

"Got it!" shouted Magne, diving past Spinner as Spinner charged Jin with a sword. Magne raised his hand, closing his fist and yanking his arm back as Mardon suddenly felt himself being pulled towards the ground at rapid speed.

"What the?!" said Mardon, now tumbling towards the dirt at high speeds.

"Hah! I'm bringing you down to earth, Weather Warrior!" said Magne.

Mardon smiled as he raised his hands, "The name's Weather Wizard buddy!"

Halfway through his rapid descent, Mardon gathered some storm clouds, raining down a torrent of Ice droplets on Magne.

"WHAT?!" shouted Magne, finding himself being pelted by the ice, "The hell is this?!"

"Hail, Magne!" said Mardon, "You should've paid more attention during school!"

Meanwhile, Spinner flung himself at Jin, sword raised over his head and ready to strike, "TAKE THIS!"

In response to the charge, Jin simply smirked before flicking his wrist, watching as the sword levitated into the air, carrying Spinner with it, "Someone forgot my new quirk is Metallic manipulation!"

Jay slid by, punching the suspended Spinner in the gut and grabbing him as he passed by, carrying him as he raced towards the distracted Magne. Throwing Spinner at Magne like a fastball, Jay bit his tongue as he really pushed himself, racing past the currently in motion Spinner and reaching Magne before they connected. Going into a slide, Jay tripped Magne up, causing him to lose balance as Spinner collided with him. The two flew into Snart's wall, cracking the ice as they slid to the ground in a disorganized heap. Jay fell to his hands and knees, panting and sweating as Jin and Mardon approached him.

"Isn't that a hero?" said Jin.

"He is," said Mardon, "But why did he help us?"

Jay braced himself, his limbs on fire, as he painfully stood up, "I've made a temporary alliance with your leader to take the villains down. I'm trying to catch Compress, but thinning the herd will help both of us."

Mardon stepped forward, "And how do we know we can trust you?"

Jay turned to face the Rogues, fists tightened and a look of determination in his eyes, "Do you want the extra manpower or not?"

*Clang!*

The Rogue's attention turned to Trickster as he hopped back, Razor jacks in his hands as he deflected a strike from Toga, who swung her knife wildly.

"Why won't you bleed for me?!" said Toga, the knife coming back around for another strike, "You're so colorful! Do you bleed rainbows!"

Trickster dodged another strike, "Listen, kid, just swinging the knife around ain't for you to take me down."

As Toga went in for a stab, Trickster dropped his jacks and pulled out a small multicolored pellet, tossing it at Toga and watching as the pellet exploded into a gooey substance, coating and immobilizing Toga.

"What the?!" said Toga, dropping the knife and attempting to pull the substance off her body, "What is this stuff?"

"It's crude adhesive," said Trickster, kicking Toga and sending her onto her back, "and it proves you're nothing but a crazy girl with a knife."

As Toga hit the ground, unable to retaliate, Trickster shuffled over to the rest of the Rogues as well as Jay, "What's a hero doing here?"

"He's helping us take the league down." said Jin.

"And now that most of the Villains are taken care of, We need to go after Compress." said Jay, "I trust you'll honor the deal?"

Mardon stepped forward, "Of course we will, Rogue's honor."

Jay turned around, ready to find compress, "I hope that actually means something."

* * *

Compress hopped around the decimated block, careful not to get too close to the current devastation being caused by All Might and All for One. That battle had the potential to wipe him off the face of the planet if he intervened, so he kept his distance.

"Where'd all my buddies go?" said Compress, spinning the marble containing Bakugou between his fingers, "I could use some help to get out of here."

"Sorry chum, but you won't be getting out of here without some handcuffs on your wrists."

Jay slid to a stop in front of Compress, causing Compress to let out a small yelp of surprise before doubling back, "Hah! Almost got me that time!"

*CRASH*

A metal girder came crashing down from the sky, almost crushing Compress as he leaped back, watching as Jin stepped over the girder, "You're gonna have to do better than that."

Compress turned to his left, only for lighting to strike that particular spot. Looking up, he watched as Weather Wizard descended from the sky, "Give it up compadre, nowhere else to run."

"That's what you think!" said Compress, turning to his right breaking out into a sprint. He raced over broken walls and debris, looking back only to notice that he was being chased by his opponents. Looking ahead, Compress's heart sank as he slid to a stop, face to face with the ice wall. Before Compress could double back again, his assailants caught up, cornering him.

"You were saying?" said Mardon.

Compress stepped back, his back now to the wall, "I-I can get out of this!"

"No, you can't."

Compress followed the voice upward, watching as Trickster came from above, flinging a potato head at the villain. The potato head explodes, throwing Compress against the wall and causing him to lose his grip on Bakugou's marble. He watched as the marble bounced against the ground, at which Bakugou popped out, surprised and angry as ever.

"NOT AGAIN DAMNIT!" shouted Bakugou, who stumbled to his feet almost immediately. Compress's eyes widened behind his mask as he reached out for Bakugou, preparing to capture him again.

"Not this time!" erupted Bakugou, preparing an explosion. Jay surged forward, hoping to catch Compress before he could recapture Bakugou. However, in an event that surprised all three of them. A pair of hands reached out of the ice wall, grabbing both Compress and Bakugou and pulling them into the reflective ice.

"What?!" said Jay in surprise, sliding to a stop and throwing his hands against the wall, "What did Mirror Master do?!"

"I don't know!" said Mardon, "We don't know what the hell's going on with him!"

Jin stepped forward, "At least he's safe!"

"But Compress is still in there!" shouted Jay, "I have to make sure he's safe from-"

*SHOOM*

Everyone's ears are blown out as the All-Might vs All for One battle reaches a breaking point with a massive strike from All for One, who sent out a massive shockwave, shattering the entire ice wall and burying the Rogues as well as Jay in flying debris. As the concrete fell onto Jay, pinning him to the ground, he hoped that the conflict would be over quickly, he needed to get Bakugou out and he didn't necessarily trust Mirror Master.

* * *

"What the?!" said Compress, "Where am I?!"

"K-Kaminari!" said Midoriya, "You accidentally pulled the villain through as well!"

During their dedicated search for Bakugou, Kirishima had seen him appear suddenly in front of the mirror he was assigned too. Eager to get his friend back, Kirishima reached into the mirror with both hands after calling for Scudder to open it up, grabbing onto what he thought was just Bakugou and pulling him through.

Unfortunately, he was gravely mistaken.

"WHAT IN THE-"

Compress would go for the kids, capturing them for the league, but he was too distracted and in awe of the mirror world he suddenly found himself in. Realizing that the villain was distracted, Barry took this as a chance to take him down.

_I've only got one shot!_

Racing forward, Barry charged Compress at super speed, preparing a super-sized punch. Just as Compress seemed to shake off the surprise and wonder of the Mirror World, Barry's fist collided with his mask, completely shattering it and sending Compress through another mirror portal.

"BARRY!" said Midoriya, "We weren't supposed to use our quirks against the villains!"

Barry pulled back, a large feeling of guilt on his heart as he rubbed his sore fist. He turned to Midoriya, sorrow in his eyes, "I-It was a split decision. I'm sorry Midoriya. I take full responsibility."

Midoriya frowned, clearly troubled by Barry's actions, "I-I know that what you think you're doing is right, but we have to talk about this after everything is over."

Barry nodded, "I promise, I'll explain myself to the fullest."

"What's going on here!"

Bakugou shouted, in extreme confusion at his surroundings, "Where am I?! What'd I get pulled into?!"

"Kacchan! Calm Down!" said Midoriya.

Bakugou whirled around, spotting Midoriya, who looked extremely worried. Both the sight and sound of his childhood acquaintance was enough to make him even more agitated, "Oh no! Not you! I'm not gonna get rescued by some quirkless weakling!"

"Bakugou!" shouted Kirishima, "Calm down!"

"No way!" said Bakugou, "I already said it, I ain't gonna-"

"BAKUGOU!"

Kirishima grabbed Bakugou, shaking him violently. While the act would normally enrage Bakugou, the rawness of the emotion Kirishimna was displaying seemed to give him pause, "Just...listen."

Kirishima looked straight into Bakugou's eyes with his own teary eyes, "We've been trying to get you out, risking life and limb, especially Midoriya, and you respond like this?!"

Bakugou was silent, unable to find a true response in his mind.

"If you're gonna chew us out, do it." said Kirishima, "But please, wait until we're all safe and sound!"

The sounds of breaking glass reached everyone's ears as Barry took a peek over at Thawne's battle with Mirror Master, which was getting more hectic by the second, "Guys, we have to go. Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, and Iida are waiting at a portal that way."

Barry pointed out of the circle of mirrors at a lone mirror floating away from the chaos of the fight. Bakugou looked at the mirror and then back at Barry, noticing the serious and somber look in his eyes, "Alright, let's get out of here."

Barry nodded as the entire group began to run, racing out of the circle of mirrors and passing by the active battle between Mirror Master and Reverse-Flash. As Barry moved by the battle, he caught a glimpse of a mirror version of Thawne landing a punch to the real Thawne's jaw.

_I really hope that hurt._

It did hurt. Thawne stumbled back, clutching his jaw as Mirror Master floated above, watching as the clones continued to beat Thawne down. He would occasionally get a hit in to destroy one of the clones, but more often than not, he was the one getting beaten up.

"I don't know what all the fuss is about," said Scudder, "You don't seem that strong to me."

Thawne was now on his knees, the clones hitting him at super speed as Scudder floated closer, a wild smirk on his face, "I mean really, you're not even as strong as the normal Flash. What makes you worthy of being his reverse?"

Scudder finally stepped off of his platform, landing feet first on the ground amidst the clones as they stood back, revealing a bloody and beaten Thawne on his hand and knees. Scudder leaned over, whispering into Thawne's ear, "You were way easier than I thought you'd be."

What Scudder expected was for Thawne to just crumple in defeat, but what happened instead shook him to his core. Thawne grinned through blood-stained lips and teeth, not even making eye contact with Scudder as he whispered back, "There it is, the ego I can always count on coming out."

Scudder's eyes widened when he realized that he'd fallen right into Thawne's trap as he attempted to pull back, but it was too late. Thawne's hands shot up, grabbing Scudder on the sides of his head and unleashing a torrent of negative speed force energy. Glider let out a shriek of terror as she flew towards Thawne, ready to kill him when a bolt of negative energy struck her astral form, causing her to screech in pain as her astral form dissipated. The red lightning coursed through Scudder's body, causing him to let out a deafening scream as blood began to pour from his eyes, ears, and nostrils. The mirror clones began to shatter in a wave effect with Scudder at its origin, with the mirror portals following.

Just as Barry and his friends reached the right portal, they heard the painful screams emitted from Scudder. Turning back, Barry could see the wave of mirrors being destroyed from Scudder's position like a wave of destruction. Turning back, he realized that if he didn't get his friends to the exit mirror fast, they would have no way out. Barry debated just grabbing his friends and getting out while he still could, but that would leave both Mirror Master and Glider at Thawne's mercy. They may have been Rogues, but they helped him rescue his friends. Even then, regardless of that fact, he couldn't let them die, not under any circumstances.

Turning back and wrapping his arms around his friends, Barry burst forward at super speed, carrying them all towards the mirror.

"B-Barry!" said Midoriya, "You're going too fast!"

"I have to get you guys out of here!" said Barry.

"Don't you mean you have to get us out of here?" said Midoriya before the realization set in, "Barry, don't-"

"I'm sorry." said Barry, closing his eyes as he reached the portal, flinging all three of his friends through.

"BARRY!" shouted Midoriya, his hand outstretched towards Barry as he went into the portal mere nanoseconds before it shattered in front of Barry. As the pieces fell to the ground, Barry turned around, his eyes set on the now victorious Thawne, who stood atop Scudder's beaten form.

"Now that Mirror Master's power is...expunged, I should have no trouble finding Glider and pulling her heart out." said Thawne, staring down Barry, "Then I'll deal with you."

Barry got into a running stance, "Not a chance I'll let that happen."

"Really?" said Thawne, "Try and stop me."

Barry let the speed force course through his body as he shot off like a rocket, racing towards Thawne at lightning speeds. Thawne took a stance, preparing to find Glider with Barry at his heels when he felt a pair of hands grab his ankle. Looking down, Thawne realized that Scudder was grabbing onto his leg.

"Let go, moron!" said Thawne, looking nervously at the rapidly approaching Barry, "He'll wipe both of us out at that speed!"

"No way!" shouted Scudder, "I'm an egotistical, no-good thief, but I'm not letting you anywhere near the woman I love!"

Scudder groaned, tapping into whatever energy he had left as a single mirror slowly formed behind Thawne. Thawne looked behind him, spotting the portal before turning back to Barry's impending impact, "NO, YOU CAN'T!"

Scudder ignored him, turning his attention to Barry, "Flash, get this fucker out of my dimension."

Lightning flashed across Barry's eyes, "With pleasure."

Scudder smiled as he let go of Thawne's leg, watching as Barry collided with Thawne in a massive, dimension-shaking impact, sending both of the speedsters through the portal. Scudder rolled on his back, spitting blood out of his mouth, "Good Riddance."

* * *

Barry and Thawne tumbled out of a high rise window overlooking the destroyed battlefield of Kamino, punching and kicking each other as they flipped through the air. Despite his injured state, Thawne was still quite fast, managing to land two hits every instant while Barry only managed to land one. The two crashed into the debris field of the ruins, with Thawne landing on top of Barry. Thawne, furious, began to pummel Barry with his fists.

"YOU THINK THIS CHANGES ANYTHING?!" shouted Thawne, cracking Barry across the face, "Because it changes nothing, NOTHING!"

The fists flew fast, but in his injured state Thawne was slower, meaning that Barry could at least block a few of the strikes. As Thawne continued to rail against Barry, Barry gritted his teeth from beneath his guard, "YOU'RE JUST MAD YOU LOST FOR ONCE!"

"RAAAAH!" Thawne shouted, grabbing Barry and pulling him up before flinging him into a pile of debris. Speeding up to Barry, Thawne picked him up by his shirt before raising his vibrating fist, "I wanted to break you, take everything away from you before finally ending you." said Thawne, "But maybe I should just end you right now."

Barry looked at Thawne's vibrating hand with contempt. If he was going to die, he would at least die on his feet, as a hero. He could meet his mom and tell her how he stood up against the person who murdered her, tell her that he was happy to have lived the short life he led. He was grateful for the friends he made along the way too, so if he was going to lose his life, it wouldn't feel vain.

But it wasn't to be.

A hand grabbed Thawne from behind, turning him around before delivering a speed-force powered punch to his jaw, causing him to let go of Barry. As Barry dropped onto his read, he looked up, eyes wide as Jay began to attack Thawne, screaming, "I'VE ALREADY SEEN ONE FLASH DIE, I WON'T LET ANOTHER ONE SUFFER THE SAME FATE!"

Thawne roared, turning on Jay immediately and clocking him in the throat. As Jay stumbled back, Thawne grabbed him by the head, raising his vibrating outstretched hand, "I'M SICK AND TIRED OF EVERYONE GETTING IN MY GODDAMN WAY! DIE!"

"NO!"

Barry let out a guttural cry of defiance as he surged forward, ramming his body into Thawne as the villain's hand reached into the Tachyon Enhancer. As Barry collided with Thawne, the impact sent them both away from Jay, but not before Thawne managed to grab onto the Enhancer, ripping it off Jay on his way down. Jay screamed in pain as the speed force within his body reached out with its lightning, desperately attempting to keep its connection to the enhancer as it left Jay's body. As all three speedsters hit the ground, Thawne let go of the enhancer, dropping it on the ground as Jay fell to his knees, screaming in pain as a massive flash of light exploded from his body.

* * *

Barry's head throbbed as he rolled onto his front, trying to get up as Thawne did the same. The two stared each other down from their own spots in the rubble, dirt caking both of their blood soaked faces.

"I...can't feel it."

The two turned to Jay, who was on his knees. Barry wasn't sure at first what happened to Jay, but it didn't take long for him to realize it.

_No...It can't be._

Jay looked up at Barry, horror in his eyes, "My connection to the speed force, it's...fading!"

Suddenly, a low hum filled the air as the three speedsters turned their gazes to the Tachyon Enhancer, which had started to shake on its own. The device radiated blue lightning as it began to levitate, rising into the air until it was about head height. From there it began to shake more violently, spasming out until it exploded in a burst of yellow lightning. The speedsters averted their eyes as the flash blinded them, looking away as a pair of boots hit the ground with a thud.

"Heh heh heh."

Looking back towards the former location of the enhancer, all three of the speedsters' eyes widened at the sight of the hooded figure now standing before them.

"I regained my speed, but didn't have an anchor to escape." said the man, "Until this portal gave me an opening."

"Oh no," Barry whispered, crawled backward on his hands and knees as Jay did the same, backing away from one of the most dangerous criminals alive. Looking to his left, Barry's heart rate shot up when he saw that Thawne was backing away too. The fear in Thawne's eyes spoke volumes as to the danger of the person in front of them, and Barry knew that while he may have saved his friends in this timeline, he also unleashed something horribly monstrous.

Hunter Zolomon raised his hands into the air, throwing his hood back as he proclaimed, "ZOOM IS FREE!"

Looking back at the rest of the speedsters, a wicked smile formed on Zolomon's face, "So, who wants to die first?"


	60. Battle Of Kamino: His Final Race

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoom is unleashed! As the Battle of Kamino meets its epic conclusion, lives will be lost, a hero will fall, and Barry Allen's world will never be the same.

Midoriya, Bakugou, and Kirishima tumbled through the mirror, falling flat onto the main street in front of Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, and Iida. As the three got up, Midoriya began to panic.

"Barry!" said Midoriya, "Did Barry come through?!"

"He didn't!" said Iida, "He went off plan!"

"W-We were on a time limit. All the portals were being destroyed!" said Kirishima, "He pushed us through before we could get trapped."

"So he's trapped in there as well?" said Todoroki, "How should we move forward now?"

"We can't leave Barry." said Yaoyorozu, "Even if he did deviate from the predetermined plan."

"Hey!"

Bakugou called out to the rest of the group, pointing at a giant monitor overlooking the street, "Look."

As the rest of the group walked out into the middle of the street, they noticed that a huge crowd was starting to form around the monitor. Looking up, Midoriya's eyes widened when he realized what was on screen.

It was All-Might, reduced to his depowered state in the face of his most dangerous enemy, All for One as a news helicopter recorded the whole thing. The news recorded as All for One raised his hand, creating a portal and levitating all the League of villains thugs before throwing them through the portal.

"All-Might's battle with this highly powerful villain has taken a grim turn!" said the news anchor, "Despite being the symbol of peace, one must ask if he can truly come out on top!"

Midoriya shuddered, realizing that his mentor was in grave danger and that there wasn't a thing he could do to save him. At that moment, he almost forgot about Barry.

But the clash of speedsters made that impossible.

Suddenly, A flash of yellow lightning crossed the battlefield and entered the camera's view, followed by two more streaks of Red Lightning. They all zipped across the battlefield twisting and turning along the ground.

"Oh! It seems that some interlopers have entered the field!" said the news anchor, "There looks to be two...no, three...Maybe five new players on this field."

Midoriya's heart sank, "I thought there were only two speedsters on the battlefield?!"

"Another one must have entered the fray," said Iida, "The question though, is are they friend or foe?"

* * *

Foe. Definitely Foe.

Barry barreled ahead of Zoom, huffing and puffing as the speedster pursued him. The two ducked and weaved within the ruins of the battlefield, with Barry barely keeping ahead of the villain. After it was revealed that Jay lost his speed, Zoom seemed to deem that he was not a threat, focusing down Barry instead.

"Come back here Flash!" said Zoom, barely breaking a sweat, "We aren't done yet!"

Barry pushed himself hard, knowing that if he let Zoom catch up, it would all be over. He was barely given time to process the fact that Jay had lost his connection to the speed force before Zoom started trying to kill him again. After saving his friends, Barry didn't exactly leave room for his own escape, worse, he unleashed the monstrous villain in the process.

Glancing back, Barry caught a small glimpse of the animalistic fury Zoom displayed while pursuing him. While Thawne was a brutal and calculating villain, he tended to be very showboaty and aggravating. However, with that one glimpse, it was clear that Zoom was a very different villain. He wasn't interested in theatrics, he just wanted to do what he set out to do. And right now, he wanted to kill every speedster in the ruins.

Speaking of Thawne….

"It's funny Barry, we used to run side by side like this all the time." said Thawne, "Just like old times huh?"

"Thawne," groaned Barry, holding nothing but utter contempt for Thawne, "Shut your goddamn mouth."

Thawne raced alongside Barry, keeping pace as to not fall behind and be caught by Zoom. The two ran together to Barry's utter chagrin, both unable to shake the monster that was Hunter Zolomon.

"Run run as fast as you can!" said Zoom, "But eventually I will overtake and run you down!"

Despite the fact that he hated having to run alongside his nemesis, Barry feared Hunter more. As the three speedsters ran along the perimeter of the ruins, Zoom seemed to speed up, decreasing the distance between them. Barry's mind raced, coming up with the idea to pivot suddenly, leaving Thawne to contend with Zoom. Putting this course of action into reality, Barry made a sharp turn, cutting Thawne off as he raced away.

"Hey!" shouted Thawne, "That wasn't very hero-like!"

*WHOOSH!*

Unfortunately for Barry, Hunter didn't go for Thawne, he went straight for him. With the sharp turn costing him speed, Zoom easily caught up to Barry and delivered a heavy strike to his back, forcing him to trip and tumble to a stop. Now on his back, Zoom grabbed Barry by the collar and lifted him up.

"GOTCHA NOW!" shouted Zoom.

* * *

Snart coughed, waving the dust away from his face as he pulled the rubble off his fellow Rogues as the battle between All-Might and All for One raged behind him. Pulling the debris off Jin, he coughed as Snart helped him up.

"Wha-" said Jin, rubbing his head, "What happened?"

"The head honcho of the league just hit us hard." said Snart, walking over to another piece of rubble and starting to dig,"Help me out here! We gotta dig up the others!"

"Alright." said Jin, raising his hands, "Stand back."

Raising his hands, Jin tensed his muscles as he used his power, attracting the metal within the debris as he lifted the rubble off of his fellow Rogues. Jesse stirred, his head throbbing as he struggled to get on his feet. Mardon meanwhile, was completely out cold alongside Rory.

"Ugh," said Jesse, "feels like I was hit by a truck."

"You basically were," said Cold, "the leader of the League took us all down through collateral damage."

"Shit, he's that powerful!" said Jin, "Then how are we gonna beat him?"

Snart gritted his teeth in frustration, "We can't."

Jin's eyes widened at Snart's answer, "What?! But what about revenge?! They lied to us so that we would do their dirty work!"

Snart sighed, "As much as I want to finish this fight, we're down a man and even at full strength we don't stand much of a chance against their leader. Hell, All-Might is barely keeping it together against this guy. I know it sucks, but we'll have to settle for kicking them in the teeth."

Jin looked as if he was prepared to protest, but eventually gave up, accepting Snart's answer, "Fine, let's find something reflective, Mirror Master will get us out of here."

*SHOOM!*

An explosion rocks the block as more debris is blasted away, causing the Rogues to stumble about as the earth shook.

*CRASH!*

"I have to thank you Flash! You set me free!"

The Rogues whirl around as Zoom sends Barry directly through a still standing pillar, obliterating it as Barry crashes into a pile of rubble, bloodied and beaten. Zoom tightens his fists, ready to continue the onslaught.

"Another fast guy!" said Jesse, "There are way too many of these bastards!"

"Don't worry, I've got this guy!" said Jin, ripping the rebar out of the concrete and aiming it at Zoom, "TAKE THIS ASSHOLE!"

Jin twisted his arms and flung the rebar at Zoom, who turned around in the blink of an eye. As the rebar neared him, Zoom demonstrated his speed, dodging left and right between the projectiles as he made a furious advance towards Jin. Now entering top speed, Zoom charged Jin, fist raised in the air.

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" shouted Zoom.

In a brutal flash of light, Zoom drove his fist through Jin's skull, punching a sizable hole through the Rogue's head before hastily ripping his forearm free of the villain. Jin's mutilated body fell to the ground, lifeless to the horror of the rest of the Rogues.

"NO!" shouted Snart, ice now rapidly forming around his forearms, "YOU'RE DEAD YOU BASTA-"

Snart didn't get to finish as Zoom dashed up to him instantaneously, stabbing his hand into Snart's side, grabbing a rib, and ripping it out of his body. Snart yelled out in horrible pain as he clutched his side, falling to the ground as Zoom inspected the rib bone, "Where I came from, you were never so attached, Snart."

Snart gasped for air, desperately trying to avoid bleeding out as Zoom raised his foot, ready to crush Snart's skull, "It was nice to never know you."

"RAH!"

Barry crashed into Zoom from behind, wrapping his arms around Zoom's neck and attempting to wrestle him away from the Rogues.

"RRNGH!" grunted Barry, "Jesse, get a mirror and bring it over to the Rogues! Pull them in! I don't want any more of you to die!"

"A-Alright!" said Jesse, rushing off to find something reflective as Zoom began to run again, making Violent turns and movements in an attempt to shake Barry off his body. But while Barry's physical challenge was to hold on, his emotional challenge was to not crumble at that moment. Jin had just died a savage and painful death, a death that wouldn't have happened if Barry didn't take the actions he took. If he didn't release Zoom by changing time, Jin would still be alive. It took a lot for Barry to not crumble at that moment as held on for dear life.

_Please, don't let any more people die._

* * *

Trickster was the last Rogue standing, scrambling about as the battle between All-Might and All for One continued, with All for One pounding away at All-Might's increasingly weakened body. Each strike shook the ground, causing Jesse to trip and fall.

"GODDAMN IT!" shouted Jesse, "It feels like the world is ending!"

"Not yet chum." said a weathered voice, "It's not over till it's over."

Looking up, Trickster came face to face with the elderly Flash, Jay Garrick. Offering his hand, Jay watched as Trickster took it, allowing him to pull the Rogue onto his feet.

"What happened to you?" asked Trickster, "You were running all over the place but now you're just...doing nothing."

Jay frowned, looking Trickster dead in the eyes, "Something happened, my speed is...fading."

"Fading? Well that's a freaking problem." said Trickster, returning to his search, "I could have used that speed in helping find a mirror or something. Most of the Rogues are down and out or just dead."

Jay looked around, searching for a mirror, "Damn, Zoom is already causing damage."

"Zoom? That's his name?" said Jesse, rustling through some debris, "Sounds silly for a hardened killer!"

Jay spotted a glint in the corner of his vision, stumbling over only to find a massive panel of glass that has somehow survived the battle thus far, "Here! I found something."

Trickster turned around, eyes wide, "Oh thank god!"

Running over to Jay, they both picked up the glass panel before starting to carry it back to the rest of the Rogues. As they trudged ahead, Jay reflected on his situation. The unscripted removal of the tachyon enhancer had torn his speed force connection to pieces, but he could still feel its lingering energies. He retained his more youthful appearance and could still feel some residual speed inside his body, though he knew that if he tried to run, he could easily expend what little energy he had left.

Jay prayed that it would be enough to keep the night from getting any worse.

* * *

Zoom crashed into a still-standing wall, watching as Barry was hit upon impact, weakening his grip, as Zoom continued to streak around the battlefield.

"Having fun Allen?!" said Zoom, "Because I sure am!"

Barry winced as Zoom slammed back first into another wall, knocking the wind out of him. As direct and brutal as Zoom was, Barry probably preferred this direct approach to Thawne's mind games. Realizing that his grip was finally slipping, Barry yelped as he finally slipped off Zoom's back.

But Zoom wasn't done with Barry just yet.

Whirling around, Zoom grabbed Barry by the arm and swung him over his head, slamming Barry into the ground. Barry let out a scream of pain as he collided back first into the ground, cracking the concrete. Now lying, weak and bruised on the ground, Barry attempted to get up before Zoom sped up to him, planting his boot directly on Barry's throat. Barry struggled against Zoom's foot, but to no avail.

"Now I've got you." said Zoom, "Time to die Allen."

As Zoom raised his foot, ready to crush Barry's throat when he suddenly paused. Sensing danger from behind, Zoom torqued his head, dodging a yellow fist before grabbing it and flipping Thawne over his shoulder, slamming him into the ground next to Barry, "Oh Come now Thawne, you were always the smartest guy in the room, never the fastest."

Thawne grimaced, sitting up in response to Zolomon's words, "Don't tread on me, I'll erase you from existence."

"Heh, hard to do that if I'm not from the same dimension." said Zoom, "Listen Thawne, I know Barry is your soulmate in your eyes, but I have beef with this one."

Barry rolled onto his front, attempting to get up only for Zoom to plant his foot on Barry's back, kicking him down again as Thawne stood up. He was still heavily bruised and bleeding from the fight with Mirror Master, but he remained strong nonetheless. He had to think of something that would distract Zoom from Barry, but he wasn't sure what. This man had an otherworldly and violent connection to the speed force that put even Thawne on edge, especially since in his weakened state he didn't have the energy to fight the speedster.

"Don't do it. He isn't ready to die yet. Who's gonna train Wally?" said Thawne, grasping at straws.

Zoom froze up, his eyes snapping directly onto Thawne. In his rush to kill Barry upon entering the new dimension, he didn't even realize that there was the possibility of a Wally in this universe, "This universe has a Wally?"

Thawne stared Zoom down, happy that he seems to have "Yeah, he hasn't been trained yet but he's got the speed force now. Check Hosu city, he's in the apartment on block twenty-eight."

Barry's eyes widened as he struggled underneath Zoom's boot, "N-No…. Don't do it-"

Zoom slammed his boot into the back of Barry's head before stepping away from both of the speedsters, "I'll be back for both of you...there's just something I have to check first."

Before Barry could react, Zoom raced away from the destroyed block, leaving only the two remaining speedsters left. Barry dragged himself to his feet using a nearby pile of debris, too weak to pursue Zoom. He glared at Thawne, "You...sold Wally out."

"Oh c'mon, don't look so angry." said Thawne, "I just saved your life."

"You killed my mother, doomed Wally, crippled my friends, and ruined my father's life." growled Barry. He had held onto the idea that he would put Thawne away, that he could keep within the confines of the law, but Thawne siccing Zoom on Wally was the breaking point. Barry was pissed, ready to take it many steps farther, "I'm going to snap your goddamn neck, Thawne."

"Heh," said Thawne, "You'll have to catch me first Barry."

A sudden gust of wind blew in from the epicenter of All-Might's battle, causing both Thawne and Barry to turn their attention to the battle. As the dust cleared, All-Might stoof over the defeated All for One, triumphant.

"Oop!" said Thawne, "That's my cue!"

Thawne turned away from Barry, getting into a runner's stance, "This has been a wild night Barry, watching people die or lose their powers for your mistake, but it's about time I turn in."

With a burst of speed, Thawne began to race away, causing Barry to shake with rage.

"GET BACK HERE!" shouted Barry, stumbling into a sprint from his position next to the pile. He let Zoom out tonight, meaning that there were two evil speedsters on the run. That would be too much for the heroes to handle, for the world to handle. Barry was too weak to catch Zoom, unable to start before the villain left him in the dust, but Thawne was injured, Thawne was weakened. This was his chance to make the night truly worth it.

This was the night he would finally end Thawne.

* * *

Jay slid the mirror next to the remaining Rogues with Trickster, leaving Trickster to knock on it as he walked over to Snart, grabbing him to pull him into the mirror world.

"Scudder." said Trickster, rapping against the glass, "SCUDDER!"

"I'm here!" said Scudder, appearing in the mirror, in a beaten up state, "Sorry, I'm not in the best shape."

"I don't care man!" said Trickster, "We're pulling out! Snart is going in first!"

As Jay lugged Snart over to the mirror portal, He heard the distinct *KRAKAKOOM!* of lightning as Thawne and Barry raced by Jay, causing him to nearly fall over. As the gust of wind kicked up by the two racers settled, Jay looked on at the path they left behind, noting that the energy on display was more savage, emotional. Jay's eyes widened in horror when he realized what was going on.

"Hey old man!" said Trickster, "Get Snart over here, we gotta go before the-!"

Trickster stopped, realizing that now that the villains were all dealt with, it was just the Rogues left. Jay had no reason to help them anymore, his duty was not to arrest them, "HEY! Don't you try anything!"

Jay looked down, sighing before getting into a runner's stance, "I can't arrest you now, there are more important things that require my attention, but know that when you prop up again, the Flash will be there to take you down."

Trickster looked at Jay in confusion, "More important things? The hell are you talking abou-"

Jay gathered what remained of his speed force energy before taking off, leaving a massive gust of dust to blow into Trickster's face. Trickster coughed, realizing that he was now all alone, "Shit, gotta get these guys into the mirror world fast!"

Charging ahead, Jay could already feel the remaining vestiges of speed force energy burning away inside him. He was running on fumes now, but that didn't matter to him. After seeing what he saw, he had to stop Barry.

When Barry passed Jay, he sensed that Barry was running while in a state of pure intense emotion. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore, and if Jay was correct in his assumption, he was out for blood. As Jay pushed himself even harder than before, his mind jumped back to the rest of his life, his accomplishments and moments of love, his time as the Flash. Once he burned up what was left in his body, that would all end. Jay Garrick would no longer be the Flash.

But that was a sacrifice Jay was willing to make. If he could stop Barry from making a horrible mistake, then the loss of his power was worth it. Following the trail of the other speedsters, Jay took a turn, hoping to cut them off as they darted through the streets of Kamino. Making a quick turn, Jay found himself directly on the tail of Barry and Thawne as they streaked down the alleyway, passing houses as nothing more than blurs.

"BARRY!" shouted Jay, feeling the last of the speed force start to leave his body, "YOU CAN'T KILL THAWNE, YOU HAVE TO STOP!"

"NO!" shouted Barry, eyes red with rage, "HE HAS TO PAY FOR WHAT HE DID!"

Jay could hear the seething rage in Barry's voice as well as Thawne's maniacal laughter as he began to lose his footing. Realizing that he only had a few seconds before the speed force energy in his body was gone forever, Jay looked ahead at Barry, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"I'm sorry Barry, god I'm sorry." said Jay as he took his hat off, throwing it one last time as his speed finally depleted and he managed to gracefully slide to a stop. The hat spun through the air, flying faster and faster until it finally cracked Barry in the back of the head, causing him to violently tumble to a stop, bruising himself heavily. Jay paused as he felt great pain as the speed finally left his body, signaling the tragic truth of his new circumstances.

This was the end of his time as Flash. This was the end of the race.

"What?! N-No! NO!" shouted Barry, picking his head up only to see Thawne rapidly shrink as he raced out of sight, the only lingering presence left being the wicked laughter he left behind. As Barry weakly attempted to get to his feet, despite the heavy injuries he's already established effectively crippling him, Jay stumbled over to Barry, grabbing him from behind, "Jay, let me go!"

"I can't Barry!" said Jay, clearly in emotional duress over the entire situation, "I won't let you make this mistake!"

"How can this be a mistake!" said Barry, his voice pained, "Thawne is a murderer! He deserves to die, for everything he's done!"

"Maybe!" said Jay, "But he has to be tried! Convicted!"

"Why can't it be me!" shouted Barry, "He killed my mom! He got my dad thrown in prison! He hurt Mina, My friends!" Barry began to tear up, "He ruined my life, so I deserve to be the one to put him in the ground!"

"You don't mean that Barry!" said Jay, "I know you! You don't really think this!"

"But I….I have to..." Barry began to break down more, "I have to get justice for them, for all of us!"

"Barry, killing Thawne in cold blood wouldn't be justice." said Jay.

"THEN WHAT IS?! WHAT WILL REDEEM ME!" shouted Barry.

Jay paused, shocked by the words coming out of Barry's mouth, "Redeem you? What do you mean Barry?"

"It's my fault!" said Barry, "All my fault! It's my fault Jin is dead, that you lost your powers. I messed with time to save my friends and I still couldn't make everything go perfectly!"

Barry's voice got weaker and weaker as he began to crumple into a tear ridden mess, "I...I don't know if I can face my friends again, to tell them that I failed them so badly. How can I face them Jay...how?"

Jay looked on at Barry in sadness, unable to respond. For all his years of experience, all his missions, Jay couldn't find a way to tell Barry what he needed to hear. As Barry collapsed onto his knees, Jay pulled him into a hug, allowing Barry to cry into his shoulder, "I know that you've been through a lot Barry, and I know that you think that some of this is your fault, but it isn't."

Jay hugged Barry just a bit tighter as the sun began to rise, "This isn't the end Barry, you'll get your justice in the end. We all will."


	61. A Heroic Interlude: Wally West:Origin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this short break between chapters, we catch up on Wally West, exploring the aftermath of the camp arc and what's to come for the boy who would become Kid Flash!

"Mrs. Sosaki, your nephew is a very gifted boy."

The teacher sat across from Mandalay, twiddling her thumbs as Mandalay looked on in confusion. Wally sat in a seat just outside the office, separated from the conversation but hearing every word.

"Oh, Wally isn't my nephew," said Mandalay, "He's under my care so he doesn't have to get uprooted every few days. His aunt, the person who holds custody over him, is a journalist who tends to travel a lot. She wanted Wally to have a normal childhood and education."

"Well that's going to be difficult," said the teacher, pulling out her tablet, "because his grades are stellar!"

The teacher turned the tablet towards Mandalay, showing her Wally's performance, "As you can see, he's performed higher than anyone else in his grade by a substantial margin."

Mandalay inspected the documents before returning a smile, "This is great news obviously! But what made it a big enough occasion to invite me into your office?"

The teacher placed the tablet down, "Well, due to Wally's exceptional studies, we don't believe we'd be doing our jobs as teachers if we didn't push him into the best circumstances."

Mandalay raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well," said the teacher, "after discussing it with the staff, we've decided to graduate early."

Wally's eyes widened as the conversation continued behind closed doors, "Graduate?!" said Mandalay, "But where would he go next?!"

"We'd suggest a high functioning school, such as Shiketsu or UA." said the teacher, "It's where he's most likely to succeed."

Mandalay looked torn, "Can you just...hold off on pushing this through? I want to see if he really wants this."

The teacher shrugged, "We'll honor your request but...We really do think he should move forward with his education. It's what's best for his future."

"I'll keep that in mind." said Mandalay, getting up from her chair and leaving the room, retrieving Wally on the way out.

* * *

Wally leaned his head against the car window, watching the sunset on the city as Mandalay made a turn off the highway. She glanced at the boy, attempting to gauge what his feelings were at the moment.

"I'm guessing you heard all that." said Mandalay, "The stuff about moving you up a grade."

"Yeah," said Wally, "I did."

Wally's curt and blank reply worried Mandalay, it was clear that he was a little conflicted. It had been a few weeks since the attacks on the camp and Ragdoll was in the captivity of the villains. While Tiger had dedicated himself to help rescue Ragdoll and Pixie-Bob was still in the hospital, Mandalay had taken it upon herself to take care of Kota and Wally on her own. After an experience like that, Mandalay was sure that Wally was a little cautious.

"So...What's the verdict?" asked Mandalay, "Do you want to skip a grade?"

Wally continued to avoid meeting Mandalay's eyes, "I...don't know. I wanna think about it."

Mandalay smiled, "Alright kid, take your time. Remember, there's no wrong choice."

* * *

As the car rumbled to a stop, Wally and Mandalay got out and entered the apartment where they stayed. As Wally placed his bag on the kitchen table, Mandalay checked the time.

"Kota should already be asleep," said Mandalay, "you should head to bed too."

"But it's only 7 o'clock." said Wally.

"Please Wally," said Mandalay, "today's just been...a little difficult."

Wally noticed the exhaustion in Mandalay's eyes, realizing that she had been through more than a few sleepless nights after volunteering to take care of him and Kota. Not wanting to cause her further trouble, Wally nodded.

"Alright, I'll head to bed." said Wally.

Mandalay smiled, nodding in approval before silently walking over to the couch and lying down. Wally walked upstairs to his room, opening and closing the door behind him before standing idle. It was a brightly colored room full of hero toys and brightly colored posters, most of which were All-Might related.

Would he go to bed right now? No, he would test out his new power.

Picking up a baseball from his bedside table, Wally took a deep breath before tossing it as hard as he could towards his wall. As the ball blitzed through the air, Wally concentrated, stepping forward as the ball slowed to a stop in mid-air. Walking up to the ball with blue lightning radiating all over his body, Wally plucked it out of the air before flinging it towards the other side of his room, repeating the process and essentially playing catch for himself.

Wally had manifested these powers around a week after coming home from the camp. The first time he used them was when he dropped a bottle of water and dove to grab it before it landed. The glass was out of Wally's reach, definitely impossible to catch unless he was fast.

Inhumanly fast.

Wally sighed as he caught the ball for the 50th time in 10 seconds. He had only gotten faster since that moment and it had made him ponder how he got such a gift.

There was only one answer to that question.

When Barry released a wave of energy to save him, that wave had supercharged his body with whatever powered Barry's speed. It let him do the things Barry could do, or at least that's what Wally thought.

Having taken a few weeks to learn what he could do, Wally suddenly had an idea a few days ago. If Barry was calling himself the Flash, what kind of sidekick would he take? Someone with similar powers to him perhaps?

Walking over to his dresser, Wally pulled the bottom drawer open and shifted all the clothes until he was at the bottom, laying eyes on the costume he had been working on in his spare time.

It was a one-piece costume made up of Yellow and Red bits much like Barry's costume, though it had more emphasis on the yellow to distinguish it from Barry's more red dominated outfit. It had an open-top so that Wally's hair could flow and goggles to protect his eyes while he ran. Pulling it out, Wally slipped it on, inspecting himself in the mirror.

_Huh, I don't look all that bad._

Glancing out his window, Wally suddenly got the urge to test his newfound capabilities. Walking over to his window, he slipped his goggles on before sliding the window open.

* * *

"WOOHOO!"

Wally streaked down the road, burning the soles of his shoes as he slid around the back roads of his neighborhood. He would normally get in trouble for using a quirk like this outside of normal hours, but this part of town was silent and often devoid of anybody.

Besides, even if someone did spot him, how could they possibly catch him?

Racing towards a corner, Wally let out a joyful whoop as he grabbed a lamppost, swinging around a street corner flawlessly. He had gotten more used to this speed than he expected, almost as if he was a natural at it.

"Oh man!" said Wally, "As if anyone can stop me now!"

"So it's true," said a chilling voice behind Wally, "there is a Wally West in this universe."

Wally almost jumped out of his newly made suit as he whirled around, coming face to face with a man in a ratty hood.

_Uh oh, gotta book it!_

Wally quickly doubled his pace, racing down a long stretch of concrete in an attempt to get away from the man. Looking behind him, Wally noticed that he was no longer being pursued.

_Whew, that was close._

"And just as fast."

Wally turned his head forwards only to be met by the man again, though this time he was standing arms crossed in Wally's path.

"What the!" said Wally, attempting to pivot away from the man.

But it was too late.

The man rushed forward in an incredible burst of speed, grabbing Wally by the throat and holding him up, causing Wally's feet to kick in desperation.

"Not as strong though." said the man, increasing the power of his grip. Wally gasped for air, unable to escape the man's grip as he slowly got the life choked out of him.

"No..." said the man, "No, no, no. This won't do."

The man let go of Wally, letting him fall to the ground. Wally coughed, desperately regaining his breath as he backed away from the man while on his back.

"S-Stay back!" said Wally, "Don't hurt me!"

"Don't hurt you?" said the man, "You really are a complete novice, aren't you."

Wally backed up against a wall, scared as the man cornered him while he began to breathe faster, "W-What do you want?!"

The man sighed, seemingly very disappointed, "If only I had arrived when you were actually strong."

The man kneeled down, pulling his hood back to reveal his face, "You may know me in one way or another, or you may not know me at all." he said, "But you should know my name before I tell you what's going to happen."

Wally remained in a panicked state, but he managed to stop hyperventilating, "W-Who are you?"

"My name is Hunter Zolomon," said Zoom, keeping his eyes on Wally, "and I'm here to tell you that I want you to get strong."

"G-Get strong?" said Wally, "W-Why?"

"Because from the beginning, I've wanted to prove one thing and one thing only." said Zoom, standing straight up, "That I am the superior Flash."

"S-Superior Flash?" said Wally, "B-But isn't Barry Allen the Fla-"

"Barry was always heralded as the greatest Flash, but personally I could never stand that title being attached to him." said Zoom, "The truth is, it really belonged to you."

Wally's eyes widened, "T-To me?"

"Yes," said Zoom, "and I respected you enough to wait until you were at your strongest to challenge you for the title. But I can't challenge you here until you're at least in decent fighting shape, so I'm going to ask you to do something."

Zoom stood up, slipping the hood back on his head, "You're going to learn how to be a hero, you're going to get good at it. And then, I will come back, and I won't hold back."

Wally's heart sank as Zoom turned around, ready to leave, "Oh, and in case you try to cut and run, I noticed a few others living with you. If you don't start now, I will remove them."

And with that, Zoom burst off into the night, leaving Wally with his heart racing a mile a minute. After a few minutes of just being frozen in fear, Wally slowly stood up, shaking in terror before turning to run back to his room.

* * *

Shoving the costume back into the drawer, Wally crashed onto his bed in exhaustion and despair. Sure, he wanted to try and be a hero someday, but with this terrifying threat breathing down his neck, he was scared of what being a hero would mean for him. Looking around, he spotted a photo of him holding baby Kota.

Kota.

He'd known Kota since he was born, held the boy in his arms ever since he was only a few weeks old. If he didn't become a hero, and fast, Kota might not grow up to even reach age 5.

It wasn't much of a decision.

Walking downstairs to Mandalay, He suddenly noticed that she was frantically grabbing her car keys.

"Auntie Sosaki?" said Wally.

"Wally! I thought you were asleep!" said Mandalay, "They found Ragdoll! I'm going to go see her. You'll watch over Kota while I'm gone?"

"Of course!" said Wally.

She nodded before opening the front door, prompting Wally to speak out, "Wait! One more thing!"

Mandalay turned around, "What?"

"I...I've decided that I want to move up a grade." said Wally, "Enter year one of high school!"

Mandalay's eyes widened, "That's great news! Ragdoll will love this!"

Just as she's ready to leave, Mandalay turns back one last time, "Where do you want to go? Just asking so there's more to tell Ragdoll!"

Wally answered quickly, it wasn't a hard choice, "U.A.!"


	62. Full Stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the devastating Battle of Kamino, Barry Allen must figure out what his next move is, even if that means quitting the Flash forever. However, a surprise visitor will influence his decision in a way he would never expect.

The car rumbled along the road as Jay drove Barry back to his home. They had both gone back to the hospital to be checked out for wounds after the extended and exhausting battle for Kamino, a battle that was draining both physically and emotionally. While Jay was mostly unharmed with the exception of his connection to the Speed Force being severed, Barry had gotten far more hurt than previously expected. Luckily, the speed force did its thing, reducing the amount of time he had to be in the hospital before finally being let go.

Barry was feeling a lot of things, but what he dreaded most was seeing Forrest again. How could he face his guardian again now that he'd screwed up so bad. He leaned against the car window, attempting to distract himself by looking at the sights and sounds of the city. Jay noticed this intention from Barry and decided to help by turning on the radio.

"Only a week after the battle that unfolded in Kamino's backyard, the nation and quite possibly the world is still reeling from the retirement of the number one hero, All-Might." said the reporter, "Even more disturbing is the reality of his true form, which was lanky and skeletal in nature."

"Gah," grunted Jay, quickly turning the radio back off, "I wish they'd stop reporting that story. Everyone knows now and it's not doing anything other than dredging up anxiety."

Barry silently nodded, acknowledging Jay's words but not responding to them with any verbal reply. Jay shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling surprisingly helpless.

"Barry…" said Jay, "I want you to know that I'll try my best to keep you out of trouble, but you have to know that there are consequences to what you did."

"...I know." said Barry, who retained a blank expression.

Jay sighed, "Barry, it's not your fault I lost my speed."

Barry winced as Jay ripped the band-aid off of that particular subject. On top of all the other things Barry felt that he was guilty of, it was no surprise that Jay would deduce that Barry felt this was his fault as well, especially after explaining the entire mess of what happened to Jay. The plot to save Bakugou, the time travel, the aftermath, all of it. So far, Jay was the only one who truly knew for sure other than Thawne.

"How can you be so sure about that?!" said Barry, "If I hadn't let Thawne get the jump on me, you wouldn't have gotten in harm's way. You would still have your speed!"

"Barry, I'm a hero, getting in harm's way is my job." said Jay.

Barry leaned against the window again, "But how can you do your job now?"

Jay froze up, feeling a little hurt inside as the idea that he couldn't be a hero anymore started to cement itself. Sure, he was getting close to retirement age, but he didn't want it to happen like this. Worse still, he had no way back to Joan, the love of his life. He had met up with Aizawa over the weekend and explained his predicament, at which point Aizawa stated that he'd talk to Nezu and see what he could do. Other than that though, all he could do was wait.

"We're here." said Jay.

The car pulled into the backstreet driveway of Forest's apartment, grinding to a halt as Jay got out of the car. Noticing that Barry wasn't getting out too, Jay opened the door for him, looking him in the eyes.

"Barry, I know how you're feeling right now, I really do." said Jay, "But your guardian hasn't seen you in weeks, I'm sure he's very worried."

Barely slowly nodded, getting out of the car and walking up to the apartment door with Jay. Jay knocked on the door, waiting patiently while Barry idled by, nervous as ever.

"It'll be ok Barry," said Jay, "It'll be ok."

The sound of a lock sliding out of place could be heard as the door cracked open at a slight angle. Forest peeked his head out and upon spotting Barry, swung the door the rest of the way open with wide eyes.

"Barry!" said Forest, immediately pulling the boy into a hug. Barry returned the hug, accepting the hug while feeling a certain degree of safety now that he was home. He would cry, but his eyes had dried up last week.

"T-Thank you for bringing him back to me." said Forest, wiping a tear from his own eye while addressing Jay.

"I'm just doing my job sir." said Jay, shaking the man's hand before yawning, "Apologies, but I'll need to come back tomorrow to discuss some things. It's too late now, but I'll catch you later."

"Will do Flash." said Forest, "Have a nice night."

Jay nodded, "You too."

Jay walked back to the car, sliding inside before turning the key in the ignition. He grumbled, silently missing the fact that he couldn't just run everywhere he wanted.

* * *

As the door closed behind them, Forest opened his mouth, letting out a gigantic yawn as Barry walked over to the fridge.

"Barry," said Forest, "are you hungry? I'd imagine they may not have fed you on your last day in the hospital."

"No...I'm good." said Barry, "I'm not that hungry."

"Oh..." said Forest, his eyes glazing shut every few seconds, "Barry, are you ok?"

Barry turned around, noticing that Forest was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, "Forest, when was the last time you slept?"

"What?" said Forest, taking a second to register the question, "Oh! I slept yesterday!"

Barry raised his eyebrow, "What day was yesterday?"

"Uhhh," said Forest, "...Tuesday"

"Forest, it's Friday!" said Barry, walking over to his adoptive father, "you need to get some sleep."

Barry linked his arm with Forest's, taking him up the stairs and towards his room while he resisted the act.

"Barry stop," said Forest, "I promised myself I'd stay awake so I could greet you in person, then we'd talk over what happened."

"We will," said Barry, "but you've already greeted me, and that's enough."

Barry walked Forest over to his room, opening the door for him, "You need rest, and frankly, so do I."

Forest walked into the room, turning towards Barry and facing him, "Barry...thank you. But you will get me caught up on what's happened tomorrow morning!"

"I...I will." said Barry, "Good Night Forest."

"Heh, always putting others before himself, that's the Barry Allen I know." said Forest, closing the door, "Don't lose that kiddo."

Barry shuddered when he heard Forest's words, which were eerily similar to his mother's. Walking over to his own room, he closed the door behind him, falling back onto his bed and taking a deep breath. For the first time in what felt like forever, it seemed like he finally had time to breathe, to relax. He laid there, letting himself sink into the mattress as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, a lump formed in his throat when he realized who it was.

_Barry, it's Midoriya...you promised you would tell us all what happened with the villains and such._

Barry let his head roll back, closing his eyes in frustration. He wanted to tell Midoriya about everything, he wanted to tell everyone involved with the rescue of Bakugou what happened, but something in his gut held him back. He couldn't do this over the phone, it had to be face to face, where it would truly mean something.

_I owe you answers, I know, but it would feel cheap saying it over the phone. I know that sounds like an excuse, but I owe you an explanation given face to face._

After a short while, Midoriya replied.

_Ok, but please stay safe Barry, we don't know what could come next._

Midoriya was right, Barry didn't know what was coming next, either in terms of when the villains would strike next, or if he should really keep trying to be a hero. So far, Barry's illustrious hero career has been marked by the fact that he got his friends killed and even when he went back in time to fix it, he unleashed a villain that's possibly more dangerous than Thawne and got a few other people killed instead. His own thoughts on the future looked bleak, and right now, all he could think about was how much he's screwed up.

Plopping the phone on his bedside table, Barry allowed himself to slip into sleep, sinking into the bed and letting his consciousness fade.

* * *

As Barry slipped out of consciousness in one realm of existence, he slowly faded into another. Floating away from the darkness of his room at midnight, Barry found himself falling through the bright whiteness of the Speed Force. He sighed, having been down this road before as he rapidly rotated his arms, creating a tornado and slowing his descent. Spotting a single floating rock island, Barry glided over to the rock, touching down before observing his surroundings.

"I didn't even run," said Barry, "How'd I get here?"

"I brought you here, Barry."

Barry slowly turned around, noticing that he was no longer alone on the stone island. The Black Flash stood on the other side of the island, keeping its eyes on Barry. A small light of hope fluttered in Barry as he stumbled forward, "A-Are you going to send me back again?! I didn't help the situation enough, I can do more. I can save everyone while making sure all the villains go down. Please just give me another cha-"

"I cannot." said the Black Flash, his quick and curt.

Barry glared at the Black Flash, shaking his head in denial, "W-Why?"

"The speed force is part of the time stream, any meddling with it goes against its very nature." said Black Flash, "It was only through my impassioned conversation with it that it allowed me to send you back in the first place."

"Can it give me another chance?" asked Barry.

"...No." said the Black Flash.

Barry began to tremble in frustration, striding over to Black Flash at super speed, "Then how can I make things right? How can I make up for how much pain I've caused?"

The Black Flash remained stone faced, "Barry..."

"How do I redeem myself if I can't go back and fix what I broke?" said Barry, falling to his knees, "How can I call myself a hero, let alone the Flash if I can't even do that?"

The Black Flash continued to hold its gaze on Barry, taking a few steps towards him. Then, in a moment that surprised Barry, the Black Flash knelt down.

"Barry," said the Black Flash, "look at me."

Barry looked up at the Black Flash, observing it in greater detail than he had in the past times he'd seen the denizen of the speed force. He noticed its rotting skin, it's milky white eyes, and most prominently its black rendition of Thawne's costume, "I-I don't-"

"Barry," said the Black Flash, " _really_ look at me."

Barry looked harder, checking the finer details of the Black Flash's features. As he looked closer, Barry began to notice some odd things, such as the general shape of the monster's face, features that were eerily similar.

As it all began to come together in Barry's mind, his eyes widened, "N-No...No way."

A small strand of blonde hair sticking out of the costumed head of the monster only served to confirm it. Barry stumbled back in complete disbelief.

"Y-You're me." said Barry, "You're the me Thawne killed when he first came to this time."

The Black Flash nodded, standing up straight and offering his hand, "Now that I've shown you who I am, I think you'll trust me enough to hear me out."

The Black Flash began to pace the circumference of the island as Barry stood up, "B-But, how?!"

"After I...perished, the speed force recollected my essence here." said the Black Flash, "I was remade as the Black Flash, to be the shepherd of all dead speedsters through all of space and time. I was specifically chosen because of my status as the speed force avatar."

"But I'm the speed force avatar," said Barry, "Does this mean that eventually, I'll become you?"

The Black Flash was silent, "That's a question I have no means of answering."

Barry shook his head, "Then why did you bring me here? Can you answer me that?"

The Black Flash nodded, "That I will, I brought you here to restore your hope."

"Restore my...hope?" said Barry, "What do you mean by that?"

"You're on the verge of giving up," said Black Flash, "of losing all hope."

Barry looked down, "Can you blame me?"

Black Flash paused, "Of course not, you've been put through the wringer, far more than I had when I was the Flash, but I'm telling you there's still a reason to be the Flash."

"What reason could there be?" said Barry, "All I've done is mess stuff up."

Black Flash walked up to Barry, looking him in the eyes again, "Nora Allen."

Barry looked down, feeling the crippling weight of failure on him, "I-"

"Our mother was the reason I grew up to be a hero, Barry." said Black Flash, "Her enthusiasm inspired me and defined me, but her death is what has defined you. If you wish to move forward in any capacity, you must avenge her Barry, for our father and for the both of us."

Barry could barely contain his own feelings, a mix of both residual shame and rising determination, "But...how can I do that on my own, all I've done is screw up at every turn."

Black Flash simply chuckled, an act that startled Barry as he found the sounds of laughter unnatural when coming from a speedster zombie, "Barry, I'll let you in on a secret. I was never at my best when I was alone. You have to let other people help you, or you'll be stuck in the rut forever."

Barry shook his head, "No, I won't risk them."

Black Flash sighed, "Barry, it's this kind of thinking that leads to failure. They're going to try and help you anyway, whether you like it or not, so accept that help, watch their backs and they'll watch yours. You'll all come out on top in the end."

Barry looked up, "Why can't you help me."

The Black Flash frowned, "Thawne's connection to the negative speed force acts as a sort of buffer. As a being now composed purely of the speed force I can't do anything against him. Only people in the physical realm of existence can deal with him now."

A bolt of purple lightning streaked across the sky, causing the Black Flash to look up in disappointment.

"Damn, I'm needed elsewhere by the speed force." said Black Flash, turning around, "I hate cutting this short, but I've given you everything you need. You can rise above this Barry."

"But..." said Barry, still unsure of himself, "how do you know that for sure?"

The Black Flash smiled, a sight that was both terrifying and slightly heartwarming, "Because I know you Barry, we're the same person after all. You'll figure it out, you always will."

The Black Flash turned to leave, but Barry reached out with one more burning question, "WAIT! I just need to know one more thing."

The Black Flash turned, "What is it?"

Barry looked down, "You refused to give Thawne the Flash mantle, instead granting it to your...our grandson. Why?"

The Black Flash's answer came immediately, "Thawne didn't represent who Flash is, what he represents, Bart did."

"But what does that mean?!" said Barry, "What does it mean to be the Flash?!"

This question actually gave Black Flash some pause, forcing him to think for a second. However, a wry smile formed on his face as he replied, "Sorry Barry, but you're the Flash now. What that means isn't up to me."

The Black Flash turned, ready to leave, "It's up to you to define what being the Flash means, and you alone."

As Barry reached out to Black Flash once more, the Black Flash leaped into the void of the speed force, letting lighting envelop him before disappearing completely. The lightning continued, enveloping Barry as well and sending him off into the void.

* * *

"GAH!"

Barry shot up in his bed, sweat rolling off his forehead as he breathed heavily. Wiping the liquid off his forehead, he slipped out of bed, walking over to his desk. Sitting down, he mentally processed everything that had happened since Thawne showed up. The suspense, the horror, the suffering. Barry had barely made it through it all. And yet, he was still here. His friends were still here. After hearing what his future self reborn had to say, he wasn't sure where to go next, but he did know one thing for sure.

He wasn't giving up, not by a long shot.

Pulling out a piece of paper, Barry began to scribble some notes out. Thawne had shattered his confidence, his own belief in himself, so if he wanted to come back at Thawne, he had to be prepared.

It was time for Barry to plan out the solution to his problem. How to take the Reverse-Flash down for good.


	63. Turnaround

The kitchen table rattled as Forrest set up breakfast for Barry and himself, taking great care to not let the syrup leak off the waffles. Barry had been through a lot in the past few weeks and he wanted to do whatever he could to cheer him up, get him back on his feet. It had been a rough few weeks with the police department overloaded with paperwork, and Forrest hadn't had time to even say hello to Barry in those moments, so when they did finally reunite, Forrest wanted to make it count.

Placing the silverware carefully, Forrest rubbed his eyes before looking over his work in satisfaction. It was a nice breakfast, with all the best parts of a balanced meal, eggs, orange juice, you name it. It wasn't a conventional Japanese breakfast, but Forrest figured Barry might feel nostalgic and took that route when crafting the food. Hearing his phone buzz, Forrest pulled it out and checked his notifications.

_Hello, Jay Garrick from UA here. I'm contacting you about a new dorm system the school has chosen to implement in an attempt to strengthen our security. While this change is very sudden and we understand that there will be some confusion, our teachers will be visiting the guardians and parents of each student in order to explain and answer any questions you may have._

Forrest sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket. After everything that happened, he wanted to keep Barry close, watch over him a little more. The dorm system would be safer for Barry overall, but it still gave Forrest pause. Many parents' faith in UA had been shaken after the kidnapping of Bakugou, giving doubts as to the school's reputation and how well they could do their jobs, but Forrest was a different story. Things weren't as clean back in the States, mistakes were made far more often, and as such Forrest had an understanding that nobody is perfect. Even if he was still cautious, he still had a level of faith in the system.

"Morning!"

Forrest whirled around to find Barry walking down the stairs, stretching after what seemed like a good night's rest. Strangely, Barry wasn't as sulky as he was last night, instead displaying a certain degree of determination. Sitting down, Barry watched as Forrest took his own seat before the two began to dig in.

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" asked Forrest.

"Yeah, I hope you did too." said Barry, "Being awake for more than 20 hours can seriously impair your thinking."

"I guess, I've had to stay up longer than that some days." said Forrest, chowing down on his waffle. Barry smiled, happy that Forrest was enjoying himself, but there was still something eating away at him inside, something he had to get out. He had a plan developing, a plan to beat Thawne, but before he could finish that, he had to come clean. Not just to Forrest, but to everyone.

"Forrest," said Barry, "I got an email about a new dorm system."

"Oh yeah! I got a text about that from one of your teachers." said Forrest, "He's coming over to discuss details. You'll sit in, right?"

"Of course!" said Barry, taking another bite out of his waffle. Having Jay around would make coming clean easier, especially since he was telling the truth to his surrogate father.

* * *

Jay felt the car rumble to a stop as he pulled into the driveway, grabbing his notebook from the dashboard before opening the door. Letting the car door swing shut, Jay strolled over to Forrest and Barry's apartment door and knocked a few times, taking a step back to wait for a response. He had a few parents to visit, but he knew he had to talk with Barry and Forrest first, make sure they were squared away.

Forrest creaked the door open, ushering Jay inside before closing the door, "Welcome Mr. Garrick!" said Forrest, "Do you want some coffee?"

Jay chuckled, he hadn't had a cup of joe that morning and realized that he didn't get much sleep. Losing his powers wasn't exactly an event you could just sleep off and forget, the loss of his speed kept him awake almost all night.

"Why thank you! I'd love a cup of coffee!" said Jay, who's eyes darted around the apartment, "Where's Barry?"

"He's sitting at the dining room table." said Forrest, walking into the kitchen, "Why don't you guys catch up while I start your coffee."

Jay nodded, moving into the dining room and spotting Barry at one end. He was fiddling with a piece of paper and a pencil, scribbling notes at super speed. Jay would normally be able to see exactly what Barry was writing, but after the loss of his speed, it was all a blur.

_Huh, so that's how we look to non-speedsters._

"Barry," said Jay, "I trust you're doing better today?"

Barry stopped scribbling, immediately pocketing the paper before standing up, smiling, "Yeah, I had a lot to think about last night."

Jay sat down at the table, "Really? I would think that you'd want to take a rest, process everything."

"Maybe, but that's the thing Jay," said Barry, "I move a little too fast for that."

Jay was surprised by Barry's more upbeat and determined attitude, a stark contrast to the depressed and mopey Barry he drove home last night. Barry sat down again, still a little anxious, "In all seriousness though, I'm putting something together, but it'll take time. Even then, if I want it to work, I need to come clean."

"Come clean?" said Jay, noting that while Barry had elected to tell him everything, he hadn't divulged his actions to anyone else, "How much do you plan on-"

"Everything, the whole story." said Barry.

The two sat in silence as Forrest walked in, placing Jay's coffee on the table before taking his own seat. Noticing the silence, Forrest chuckled, attempting to break the tension, "Woah, why so quiet? Barry's not that much trouble, is he?"

Jay shifted uncomfortably in his seat, coughing a little before turning to Barry, "Do you want to start?"

As all eyes turned to Barry, who leaned back in his chair, surprised. He wasn't expecting Jay to go along with his plan so quickly, especially given how recent the conflict was, but it seems that Jay trusts Barry even after everything that's happened. Barry took a deep breath, turning to Forrest, "Before we talk about dorms, I need to get something off my chest."

Forrest was unsure of what Barry meant, but elected to just let him speak his mind, "Go ahead."

As Barry began, he started with where it all began, the mall. He explains that Thawne met him there, threatening everything Barry held dear. The paranoia that created resulted in an isolated summer holiday, only being peeled back after Camp started. While at Camp, Barry trained, becoming stronger and more confident in his abilities. His paranoia began to lessen, but that would be shattered when the camp was attacked. After brutalizing his friends, Thawne went after Barry himself, revealing his origin and beating Barry down as well. Seeking to rescue a captured Bakugou, Barry agreed to join the rescue effort with his friends, unconsciously using their tracking abilities as a way to Thawne, whom he subconsciously wished to murder in retribution.

The ensuing struggle got his friends killed. In a stroke of luck, the speed force saved Barry, sending him back for another chance. Using this opportunity, Barry freed the Rogues, seeing it as his only option to gain enough manpower to challenge Thawne. While the battle went better than before, tragedy struck when Jay's powers were ripped away from him and the villain Zoom emerged from the speed force. After everything that happened after that, Barry had blamed himself for everything.

Until last night.

Getting a visit from himself was a surreal experience, but one that had proven to be the jumpstart he needed to get moving again. Thawne had manipulated Barry into running in place, not quite moving back but never moving forward. Now though, that would change.

As Barry finished his story, Forrest leaned back in his chair in shock. While Forrest knew that Barry had suffered horrible physical injuries, he never imagined the mental torture that Barry had also undergone during the entire ordeal. He turned to Jay, eyes wide in shock.

"I-I don't...how am I supposed to trust the school with Barry's safety if you let this happen to him?!" said Forrest, "I understand that things get messy but this is absurd!"

"I...I understand your concern." said Jay, his composure extremely flat and calm, "But I promise, I will personally guarantee Barry's safety."

"How? You've lost your speed!" said Forrest, "I know you, you're an honest person from the conversations we've had, but you have to understand that I'm still worried."

"Wait!" said Barry, standing up, "Before we go any further, I want to make a case for the dorms now that you know what happened."

Forrest looked concerned, "Barry, maybe this isn't the best idea. It might be better if we just-"

"Please!" said Barry, "Give me a chance!"

Forrest blinked in surprise, gazing at Jay before looking back at Barry again, "...Alright, go ahead."

Barry breathed a sigh of relief, sitting back down, "At this point, Thawne isn't finished with me, even if I wanted to be finished with him. If I have to go up against him again, I need more training."

"What if we just put out a manhunt for him?" said Forrest, "Or have a protective agent assigned to Barry, anything that doesn't involve you fighting against him again?!"

"That wouldn't work!" said Barry, "Thawne is fast, faster than anyone else. No matter who he's up against, if they aren't a speedster they won't stand a chance."

Barry pointed at Jay, "Jay might not have his speed anymore, but that doesn't mean the knowledge he holds is gone. I can still learn from him. I can still beat Thawne. All I need is time."

Barry put his hands together, "Please Forrest, this is the best and only chance I have."

Forrest stared at Barry in a frozen facial expression that read along the lines of unsure. He got up and left the room, pacing back and forth down the hallway for a few agonizing minutes. Barry tapped his feet at super speed, feeling extremely nervous and apprehensive about Forrest's answer while Jay took a sip of his coffee, just as worried as Barry. Eventually, Forrest came back, sitting down again with a sigh.

"Alright," said Forrest, "Here's the verdict."

* * *

Three days later, Jay pulled out of Forrest's driveway with Barry inside, letting the boy wave his guardian goodbye as they drove off. It was a decision that didn't come lightly to Forrest, but in the end he had elected to let Barry move into the dorms. This decision wasn't just so that Barry had the opportunity to learn more about his powers, but so that in the event that Thawne did come again, Barry would be in a safer place. As Jay slowed down, making a turn into the UA parking lot, he turned back towards Barry, motioning for him to get out. As the two popped out, Barry unloaded his stuff from the back, placing it on the ground. He wanted to scope the place out before moving all his stuff in at super speed. Jay explained that he needed to meet with Nezu, bidding Barry goodbye as they both moved to their different destinations.

The dorms were a collection of large Brick buildings not dissimilar to apartment complexes, multi-story towers with two different wings. While Barry couldn't see the inside of the buildings yet, he was sure that they would be well-stocked with different commodities. As he approached the 1-A dorms, he laid eyes on the rest of his class as well as their homeroom teacher, all waiting for him.

"Allen, you're finally here," said Aizawa, "Get over here so I can give you the details on your dorms, then you can catch up with your friends."

Barry nodded, joining the rest of the class as a member of the group. As he snuck in with the rest of his friends, Barry felt a measure of relief, now back among his classmates and compatriots. Shoji's large frame, Uraraka's bubbly personality, even Mineta's annoying little face, they were all gifts in disguise to him.

It didn't end there. Seeing everyone from the Kamino battle safe and sound was just as rewarding. Bakugou was no longer in the clutches of the league of villains, Iida's legs were fully healed, and Todoroki, Midoriya, Kirishima, and Yaoyorozu were all uninjured. He took solace in the fact that they weren't permanently hurt. In fact, looking around, even people who were savaged by Thawne were no longer hurt. Mineta lacked the nasty bump on his head from before. Kaminari wasn't brain dead. Sato's throat wasn't injured and Ojiro's tail wasn't broken. They were all fine.

Even Mina.

Sure, her horns weren't as majestic as before, but the snapped-off ends were now starting to grow back with a small amount of progress already made. She looked as beautiful and happy as ever, and Barry couldn't be gladder for it. He wanted to talk to her, to all of them, but Aizawa's speech would have to come first.

"Good afternoon class." said Aizawa, "I'm happy that we were able to get the entire class back together, but there are some things we need to discuss before I start the tour."

Aizawa cracked his knuckles, "We'll be focusing on getting you your Provisional licenses as a security measure, this way we can prioritize a legal way for you to defend yourself, so you better study and train up to be certain you can pass."

Barry nodded, having the provisional license would make things easier if things got problematic out in the field. This way, there would be no issues in a fight out in the field.

"And another thing, listen up because this is important." said Aizawa, his tone growing more serious, "Iida, Allen, Midoriya, Kirishima, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu. These six went out to rescue Bakugou that night."

Barry's eyes widened as Aizawa coldly outed them. He could feel eyes immediately dart to him, drilling into his inner being as Aizawa continued. Worse still, many of his classmates let out sighs of disappointment, as if they knew this might have been a plan that would be put into motion.

"From your expressions, I can tell that most of you knew that they were planning something like this." said Aizawa, a scowl forming on his face, "If not for the chaos of All-Might's retirement, I would have expelled all of you with the exception of Bakugou, Jiro, and Hagakure. You've all been given a chance to make up for these mistakes since we're merciful enough to forgive you, but know that if you slip up one more time, betray our trust one more time, you're out of here."

Aizawa let the grim message seep into everyone's heads, letting them know that one more breach of trust and they'd be expelled. While many of his classmates felt a surge of fear, Barry felt an odd measure of relief. He had broken villains out of prison, the punishment could be much worse.

"Alright then!" said Aizawa, whirling around and pointing at the dorm, "Let's head in, I'll discuss specifics once we're all inside."

And just like that, Aizawa's dry sense of humor kicked in, attempting to cut into the tension he had just created with a wry and poorly timed joke. Nonetheless, the class obliged, walking by Aizawa on their way into the dorms. As Barry moved with the group, making up the tail end of the class, Aizawa placed a hand on Barry's shoulder, stopping him as the class went inside.

"I know what you did Allen," said Aizawa, his voice full of silent rage, "if it was my choice, I'd have you publicly lampooned before tossing you in a prison cell."

Barry winced at the words, even if he knew that every bit of the statement was true. Aizawa had stopped him for a reason, because he broke the law to a greater extent than any of his classmates.

"At Jay's insistence and Nezu's pulling of more strings than I can count, you've escaped consequences." said Aizawa, "And in the interest of being at least a little less harsh, I elected not to publicly shame you by sharing your crimes with your classmates. But be warned, you step out of line even a little, and I'm personally putting you in cuffs."

Barry shuddered, knowing the threat was all too serious. Aizawa wasn't one to play around, especially when it comes to stuff like this. And yet, even with all of that in mind, Barry stood firm, not appearing afraid nor backing down.

"I understand what you're saying every word." said Barry, "And I own it. I own every mistake I've ever made."

Aizawa raised his eyebrow, surprised that Barry was acting this brave after everything that's happened, "That's an extremely unrealistic expectation to set Allen, especially since you're now toeing an exceedingly thin line."

Barry looked Aizawa right in the eyes, "Did All-Might ever just ignore a mistake he made? Sweep it under the rug? No, he didn't. If I'm going to be a hero, I need to hold myself to a higher standard than anyone else, because when someone's life is in my hands, I better be damn sure I can do everything I can to help."

Barry stepped forward, "I appreciate that you didn't tell them Aizawa, it means I have the chance to tell them myself. I'm going to make up for what I did and then some."

Barry walked by Aizawa, striding towards the dorms at a brisk pace, "Because that's what heroes do. That's what the Flash does."

Aizawa eyed Barry in complete disbelief. His defiant speech about being better for the sake of being a hero seemed to completely ignore the grim warnings Aizawa was expressing before, instead steaming ahead to proclaim his intention to redeem himself. Aizawa thinks to himself that he ought to punish the kid for getting so uppity with him. And yet…

_Kid's got fire in his belly, an intention to do good. It's hard to argue why that's a bad thing._

Barry walked up the steps, now faced with the dorm building doors. He could already see his classmates inside inspecting the area, in awe of their new home. This was to be Barry's living space for the next few years of his life, it was a big change. Not just that, but it would also mark a new era of his being, the maturing of his spirit and the strengthening of his determination. Walking through those doors would mean that he was ready to go another round with Thawne.

Was this a hard choice? To the newly determined Barry? No, it wasn't. With almost no hesitation, he stepped through the dorm building doors and into a new chapter of his life.


	64. Move Forward

Barry waltzed into the dorms building with Aizawa, noticing that his classmates had already begun to inspect the interiors. The commons room was a large and expansive area with couches and coffee tables, flanked by rows of windows both looking towards the outside of the building and to the interior courtyard.

"Wow!" said Mina, "It's so spacious!"

"And Fancy!" said Uraraka, in complete awe of the grounds.

"The ground floor has a kitchen and commons area." said Aizawa, "Laundry and Baths are here too, but they're separated by gender."

Barry could hear a dejected sigh from Mineta, but that was just Mineta being Mineta. As Barry walked down the hallway, exploring the area, he noticed Mina tapping the glass leading into the courtyard.

"Oh man, they have a little garden in the courtyard!" said Mina, turning to Barry, "Do you think we'll be able to grow our own stuff in there?"

Barry chuckled, "Heh, no, I think it's just for show."

"Aw," said Mina, pouting, "It'd be cool to grow tomatoes or something."

"Dorms are also separated by gender. Boys in the east wing and girls in the west wing. There are four rooms per floor, each fully furnished with beds, AC, fridges, and bathrooms." said Aizawa, "That's it for now. Get moved in and settled. We'll talk more tomorrow."

With that declaration, Aizawa strolled out of the dorms, choosing to let his students relax after a fairly distressing event. After the doors swung shut, Mina tapped Barry on the arm, "Hey! Wanna help me unpack? I'll help you too!"

Barry was taken aback by the offer, "Heh, you just want to get unpacked faster don't you."

"Hey now, don't go around making assumptions!" said Mina, "...But yeah, that's the reason."

Barry chuckled, "Hah! I knew it! Where's your stuff?"

"It's by the red car in parking lot B." said Mina, "My room's up on the second floor so It'll be a bit of a climb but-"

*WHOOSH*

In the span of a second, Barry blitzed out of the room, coming back with a stack of suitcases and cardboard boxes. His knees buckled a bit, as he had trouble holding it all on his own.

"M-Mina!" said Barry, "Grab some of the suitcases!"

"Gah!" yelped Mina, not expecting Barry to help that fast. She quickly grabbed a couple of suitcases off his stack, lightening the load and allowing him to breathe easier.

"T-Thanks!" said Barry, "Uh, which room?"

"Follow me!" said Mina.

Mina led Barry up the first flight of stairs in the west wing. Barely keeping his balance, Barry watched as Mina stopped at the third door down the hall, "This is it!"

Barry bent his knees, placing the boxes on the ground before wiping the sweat off his forehead, "Whew, you've got more stuff than I expected."

"Hey, we're gonna be living here from now on!" said Mina, "I wanted my own personal spin on the room!"

"Of course!" said Barry, "Makes you wonder what everyone else's room is like. Imagine Aoyama's room."

"Haha!" giggled Mina, "I'm sure it'd be really sparkly!"

Suddenly, Mina gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't chuckle, "Hold on, I've got a cool idea but I want it to be a surprise, Go ahead and set up your room, you'll see what I mean later!"

"Huh?!" said Barry, but Mina was already scooping up her stuff and shuffling into her room. He raised his eyebrow, wondering what Mina was cooking up.

_Eh, can't think about that now. I've got to unpack too._

* * *

Speeding into his room, Barry brought multiple suitcases and a few stacks of cardboard boxes into his room. Setting them down, he observed the mostly barren room. While it was definitely livable, with a bed, dresser, and even a terrace, it wasn't exactly the most comfortable living space for Barry. For that, he would have to start personalizing. First, he sorted out the clothes, popping his suitcases open and moving the carefully folded clothes over to his dresser. After a mere 5 seconds, his suitcases were all cleared out and he was ready to start with the boxes.

Or was he?

A closer glance at the dresser revealed that in his haste to put everything away, Barry had messily stuffed the clothes into his dresser. Instead of neat little folded shirts and pans, Barry had created chaotic piles of clothing with creases and wrinkles. Grumbling to himself, Barry unloaded the dresser, plopping every article of clothing on the bed. Staring at the intimidating pile, Barry groaned, realizing that he could use Super Speed for this one.

"Well, that one's done now!"

Barry dusted off his hands as he stared in victory at the now neat and tidy dresser. He had finally beaten the mess he had created, with the only consequence being that it would have only taken him half the time if he had just put the clothes away at normal speed, skipping the folding since they were already folded. With his clothes in order, it was now time to unpack the boxes.

Lightning lit up the room as Barry popped the boxes open, placing various lamps and book stands in their places. Rows upon rows of text sat within the shelves, numbering in topics from Psychiatry to Forensics. Before he chose to become a hero, Barry was planning on becoming a CSI after all. Unpacking a particularly large box, Barry realized that it was an entire chemistry set. He looked the collection up and down, not recognizing it.

"Must have been a birthday present I was gonna get at fifteen." said Barry, "At the time I was in a coma."

Curiosity rising in his mind, Barry quickly assembled a table he had brought from home, setting up the chemistry set at normal speed so he wouldn't break anything. Stepping back and looking over the various beakers and bottles, he felt a certain pride in his accomplishment.

_That'll be useful for nights when I'm bored or need to do a science experiment. Now all that's left are the…_

Barry hesitated, staring at the final few boxes. They contained pictures and comics, but not just any mere pictures and comics, they were those that belonged to his mother. Taking a deep breath, Barry popped the first box open, being greeted by his old Flash comics.

There was something deeply comical about the fact that he was holding issue number 1 of Flash, a comic with Jay Garrick emblazoned across the cover, when he had spoken to Garrick himself, even learning a few tricks from him. It was like a dream come true for Barry. Setting it down, Barry opened another box.

This one was full of family photos. Barry picked through the dusty artifacts, finding various happy memories, such as the photo of his first spelling bee, the one where he won first place, He even got a little trophy. Sifting through more of his photos, Barry happened upon the most precious one of all.

It was Death Valley, a miserable place in most circumstances, but with family, it was the most precious memory Barry ever had. It was a bad situation, flat tire and everything, but with the arrival of a hero, they were able to turn it around and even got to take a photo. Ice cream from the gas station afterward didn't hurt.

Barry could feel both hurt and nostalgia from the photo. Even if he lost his mother to Thawne's horrific plot to break him, she still loved him with all her heart, and he shared so many happy memories with her. He was done letting the one bad memory overwhelm all the good ones. Grabbing a picture frame, Barry slid the photo in and put it on his bedside table before standing up.

_Just a few more now._

* * *

Barry crashed onto the couch in the commons room, reclining into the soft mattresses as Kirishima popped out of his room.

"Woah, done already?!" said Kirishima.

"Yep, fastest kid alive remember!" said Barry.

"You should make that a slogan!" said Kirishima, sitting down next to Barry, "Like, it's your title that isn't your superhero name."

"Yeah, I was thinking about that too!" said Barry, yawning a little, "I'm just gonna be laid back for a while, see you after you're finished?"

"Of course man!" said Kirishima, pumping his fist into the air, "See you then!"

Kirishima waltzed back into his room as Barry let his head roll back on the couch, his eyes glazing shut.

* * *

"Heheheheh."

_Who's chuckling?_

Barry's eyes glazed open, being met with the squeak of a marker and the ticklish sensation of a felt-tip. As his vision came into focus, he was greeted by Mineta and Kaminari who wore grins as wide as the equator.

"Ugh, you guys are a little close," said Barry, "what are you-"

Barry's eyes widened when another marker made it's squeak, signaling that something was off. Shooting up in his seat, Mineta and Kaminari jumped back, giggling uncontrollably with sharpies in their hands. Spotting the markers, Barry sped over to one of the windows, checking his reflection only to find that the pranking duo had drawn cat whiskers on his face. The rest of the boys sat around the room, looking either mildly amused or laughing their heads off.

"Aww!" said Kaminari, "He's so cute!"

"I was gonna draw something else." sighed Mineta, disappointed.

"Oh you guys are in for it now!" said Barry, lighting in his eyes.

Kaminari's eyes widen when he spots the sparks, patting Mineta on the shoulder to get his attention, "Hey, let's scram. He's gonna-"

"Too late." said Barry.

In a flash of lighting, Barry wipes the marker ink from his face and grabs the sharpies from Mineta and Kaminari. Smirking, Barry scribbles a mustache on Kaminari's face and a spider on Mineta's face. As time slowed back down, Barry tossed the marker behind him, watching in satisfaction as the two quickly checked their faces.

"Gah! What happened?!" said Mineta, turning to Kaminari, "You have a mustache!"

"Wha-really?!" said Kaminari, turning to Mineta, "SPIDER!"

"AGH! WHERE?!" shouted Mineta, "GET IT!"

*ZAP*

In a moment of panic, Kaminari releases a burst of electricity without taking a closer look at the spider drawing, shocking Mineta. Mineta yelped as he received the shock, falling onto his back with a smoking head. Kaminari oscillates back and forth, thumbs up and making a stupid face as he usually did after letting out his electricity.

_That….was not what I expected to happen._

"Hah, serves them right!"

Whirling around, Barry came face to face with Mina, who had brought the girls with her to the common room.

"Oh hey!" said Kirishima, "What's up girls?"

"We were having some talks and we have an idea!" said Mina, "Since everyone's done setting up their dorms, why don't we do a tour!"

"A tour?" said Barry, "Can you elaborate?"

"Well, since we've all got our rooms done, why not check them out with the rest of the class!" said Mina.

Before Barry could ask for more information, Mina brushed past him with the rest of the girls, strolling towards Midoriya's room, "Alright, Midoriya's up first!"

Midoriya's eyes practically popped out of his skull as he leaped out of his seat, waving his hands back and forth in a frantic motion, "Wait! D-Don't go in there plea-"

But it was too late, Mina popped the door to Midoriya's dorm open, allowing everyone to bear witness to his massive collection of All-Might merchandise. Barry strolled in with the rest of the class, surprised by Midoriya's intense...fanboyism.

"That's a lot of All Might." said Barry, "I'd assume you're a fan."

Midoriya blushed, picking up one of his many collectible figures and observing it, "Heh, yeah, I...I look up to him."

As awkward as the words were coming out of Midoriya's mouth, Barry could detect a real sense of pride in his friend. Midoriya really did look up to All-Might in a genuine and heartfelt way, something Barry could relate to on account of his own feelings towards Jay.

It was a shame that both of their inspirations were no longer heroes.

Jay and All-Might's retirements hurt both of the students deeply, with Midoriya's inspiration stepping down from being the symbol of peace and Jay losing his way back home. Now that the old guard was gone, it was their turn to pick up the pieces and take their place as heroes.

"I think it's a great room!" said Barry, "It's telling that you want to be a hero like All-Might. We all do!"

Midoriya turned to Barry, surprised by his friends' positive words, but appreciating them nonetheless, "...Thanks, Barry, I'm sure we'll all become great heroes!"

"Alright!" said Mina, "Onto the next set of rooms!"

As the class poured out of Midoriya's room and moved onto the next one, leaving Barry to tap his foot in trepidation. If they were going through all the rooms, then eventually they would get to his. Barry hoped that his room would feature the same unique spin that the rest of the rooms would inevitably have, he didn't want to come across as boring.

* * *

"Wow!" said Mina, "It's….normal."

Barry rubbed the back of his head as the rest of the class explored his room, taking in all the different trinkets and appliances. Iida strolled over to the chemistry set, picking up a beaker.

"Interesting." said Iida, turning to Barry, "I did not know you were a child of science, Allen."

"Kinda," said Barry, "I was going to be a Forensic Police Scientist before I chose to become a hero. A Lot of the books on the shelves are about that aspect of science. I still want to learn this stuff in my spare time so a chemistry set will help."

"Hmph, I believe I have a set similar to this one," said Iida, "We should collaborate sometime, you never know when a science project might get difficult."

"WOAH!"

Barry whirled around to find Midoriya shaking in excitement, holding up issue one of the Flash in his hands, "T-This is the very first issue of the Flash, from the original print wave too! Do you know how rare this is?!"

Barry chuckled, "I'd assume it's quite hard to come by."

"Of course! It's over fifty years old!" said Midoriya, "Where did you get this?!"

"It was my mom's." said Barry, "I used to read these stories with her back when I was a kid."

At the mention of his mother, Midoriya's expression warped from pure joy to conflicted sadness. Placing the comic down carefully, Midoriya began to stutter, "I-I'm sorry Barry. I didn't mean to-"

"Hey, slow down." said Barry, putting a hand on Midoriya's shoulder, "It's fine. You don't have to apologize."

Midoriya cocked his head, "A-Are you sure?"

"I am, if you want to read it, you can borrow it." said Barry, suddenly remembering that something had to be done, "And I haven't forgotten about everything, with Thawne and the Rogues I mean."

Midoriya's eyes widened, "I know, you wanted to tell us in person?"

"Yeah, but I want to wait until after the dorm tours, that way I don't interrupt the fun." said Barry.

"Oh. My. Gosh!"

Mina squealed in excitement as she picked up the Death Valley photo of Barry, placing her finger on smaller Barry, "It's tiny Barry! He's so cute!"

Barry blushed as Mina giggled over his younger photo, watching as she showed it to the rest of the class, gushing over how adorable he was. The other girls giggled along, but it was clear that Mina was mainly the one getting excited. Sure, it was an adorable picture, but it was nothing to get this excited about.

"Ok, ok, I get it. It's a nice photo." said Barry, snatching it out of Mina's hands and placing it back on his bedside table at super speed. Mina pouted, letting out a small "Hmph."

"Embarrassed Barry?" said Mina, attempting to tease him.

"Maybe, how about I get a look at a photo from your childhood years, and then we'll see who's laughing." said Barry.

That got Mina to clam up, her mouth opening and closing in a rapid motion as if to say something, but never quite settling on what to say, "I-Wha-You-you can't!"

"Oh I won't," said Barry, a grin on his face, "just don't be bringing up childhood me."

"But childhood you is such a little bean!" said Mina.

"Alright Mina, I think we've tortured Barry long enough." said Jirou, cutting in, "Let's move onto the next room."

"Awww!" said Mina, disappointed, "Fine, let's move on."

Barry watched as his classmates poured out of his room, leaving him to carefully place the framed photo back on his bedside table. It wouldn't be long before the tours were finished and everybody would go to bed, so he didn't have long to think about his approach. How should he tell his friends about what happened? Should he start from the beginning or just the mall, and how who deserved to know? He knew that the five who rescued Bakugou deserved to know, but what about Bakugou himself? What about Mina, she was his friend, didn't she deserve to know?

It was then that Barry realized what he had to do. Taking a deep breath, he walked out of his dorm, ready to take action once the dorm tours were done.

* * *

*Yawn*

Mina exhaled, stretching her arms out as everyone gathered in the commons room once more. After touring through every single dorm, everybody was feeling a little exhausted after the fun was over. Barry stood in the background, slowly building up the courage as he watched the rest of his classmates converse.

"Man, Jirou's a real music geek!" said Kaminari.

"I heard that!" said Jirou, "Do you want another shock?"

"N-Nope!" said Kaminari, "I'll shut up!"

"Alright guys!" said Mina, "If that's it, then I'll see you tomorrow!"

As Mina waved goodbye to the rest of the class, they began to separate, going to their own dorms. In only a few moments, Barry's chance would be gone. Taking one final deep breath, Barry emerged from the background, diving headfirst into his task.

"Guys!" said Barry, "Can I have your attention here. It's serious."

After a night of harmless fun, nobody expected anything serious to come after, but Barry's stern tone made it clear that this wasn't a joke. Everyone froze, observing as Barry sat down in one of the common room chairs.

"Please, sit down." said Barry, "It's….It's gonna be a long story."

Midoriya's head perked up, surprise written across his face, "B-Barry, you don't have to tell everyo-"

"I know, but they deserve to know." said Barry, "All of them."

The ambiguous statement intrigued many of his other classmates, including Mina.

"B-Barry?" said Mina, "What do you need to say?"

"I'll..." Barry paused, considering his next sentence, "I'll explain as I go along."

Mina nodded in understanding, sitting down as the rest of the class settled in, all eyes on Barry. Content that the whole class had chosen to remain and listen, Barry closed his eyes, gathering the strength to let it all out.

It was time to tell the tragic story of Barry Allen.

"I've done some things...things that I regret, that I'm not proud of. Things that I have to make up for." said Barry, "But to do that, I have to start at the beginning."

"Woah, don't start too far back!" said Mineta, chuckling before Yaoyorozu slapped him upside the head.

"Quiet!" said Yaoyorozu, "This is serious!"

Barry gave a weak thumbs up to Yaoyorozu, thanking her for silencing Mineta before continuing, "When I came back home from school on my tenth birthday, I found my mother lying on the floor. She'd been murdered."

If anyone was joking around before, they were dead silent now. Knowing that some of his classmates might voice their empathy, Barry kept the story going.

"The police wanted someone arrested quickly, and there was enough circumstantial evidence to get my dad in jail." said Barry, "He was innocent, he still is, I just couldn't do anything to get him out. So I studied to be a police scientist in the hopes of reopening the case and freeing my dad."

Barry could see the pity in everyone's eyes, but he wasn't done, not by a long shot, "Then I got struck by lightning."

Barry raised his hands, letting lightning run across his fingertips, "My speed, it isn't like other quirks. My power comes from a place called the speed force, and I gained access to it after the accident. After I got these abilities, I realized I could become a hero. My mother always told me to follow my dreams, and I wanted to be a hero before she lost her life, so I decided I would follow that dream while finding a way to prove my father's innocence on the side."

Barry's hands dug into the arm-guards of the chair, "But that day, the one at the mall, I would learn who murdered my mother. Eobard Thawne. He's a descendent of someone I saved in the present and he came from the future, bent on making me suffer. He comes from a future where I'm a veteran hero facing retirement, settling into a marriage while passing the Flash mantle onward. Thawne was part of my agency and wanted to be the one to receive the Flash mantle. He put everything he had, tying his entire life and identity behind reaching that goal and becoming Flash, but older me gave it to his grandson instead. Thawne was furious, and feeling that his entire life was ruined, he chose to go back and ruin mine."

Barry shuddered as he struggled to hold the tears back, wiping his eyes as he began to choke on his words, "H-He...He hurt you to get to me, All of you, back at the camp. After he crippled me, he showed me his history before leaving me behind."

Barry looked down, avoiding everyone's gaze, "Once I was in the hospital, all I could think of was bringing Thawne to justice, no matter what that meant at the moment. So when the others asked me to join them to save Bakugou, I did so under the pretense that I would both save Bakugou and take Thawne down."

The tears were beginning to fall as Barry closed his eyes, "When we were at that warehouse, I saw something. A chance to change things for the better, but it was false hope. I...I got trapped, and when the others tried to rescue me I..."

Barry stopped, almost unable to get the words out, "I saw them die."

Multiple classmates gasped in horror as Barry shook in emotion, "I tried to avenge them by going after Thawne, but the Speed Force itself intervened, sending me back to a point before you guys were...gone. From there I had to make a choice, one that I'm not proud of."

Barry looked at the rest of his classmates, wearing an expression of shame, "I freed a band of villains called the Rogues."

He could see the shock on everyone's faces, especially the five he had rescued Bakugou with. They didn't know why he was working with the Rogues, but once they realized that he had set them free, they weren't sure how to feel. One thing was for sure though, they weren't happy.

"One of the Rogues, Golden Glider, was thought to be dead. It turns out she was alive and wanted to help me save Bakugou in exchange for freeing the Rogues. I turned her down before, not wanting to unleash more villains, but once I realized there was no other way to save you guys, I caved."

Barry clamped his hands down on the back of his head in shame, "Even though the night didn't turn out as it did before, my decisions lead to another evil speedster coming into this world, Zoom. I don't know much about him but he's dangerous. Worst of all, Zoom's arrival resulted in Jay Garrick losing his speed."

Barry looked up at the rest of the class, "My actions led to Jay's retirement."

Barry couldn't bear to look his fellow classmates in the eye, unsure of how they would respond after he was done, "I...I felt you all were owed this...were owed the truth."

Still shaking, Barry stood up from his seat, "I won't excuse what I did, and I won't run from it. But all I know is that I can't just sit around and mope about it. I have to move forward, make up for what I did."

Iida began to separate from the crowd, walking towards Barry as he frantically apologized.

"I don't want this to hold me back." said Barry, "So I have to ask...can you ever forgive me?"

Iida stopped, standing mere feet from Barry and staring him dead in the eyes. Barry couldn't tell if Iida was furious, disappointed, or a mix of both. Suddenly, Iida formed a fist, striking Barry in the stomach and knocking the air out of him. Barry grunted, crumpling to the ground as the rest of the class yelped in shock.

"What were you thinking?!" shouted Iida, "They could have stabbed you in the back, you could have been killed!"

Barry stayed down, keeping his eyes shut as the tears continued to flow, "I-I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have-"

"Stop!" said Iida, "Just stop!"

Kneeling down, Iida grabbed Barry's hand, pulling him up. As Barry rose, he opened his eyes, noticing that Iida was also crying.

"It never should have come to this!" shouted Iida, "Never!"

"Iida's right." said Midoriya, still nervous, "Maybe we were in over our heads, going out alone like that to rescue Bakugou."

"But then he wouldn't have gotten free!" said Todoroki, "Maybe Barry was justified in freeing the villains."

"Absolutely not!" said Yaoyorozu, "The answer should never be to free dangerous criminals!"

"Guys, Stop!"

Mina's voice rang out above the rest, causing everyone to quiet down. Walking over to Barry, Mina turned to face the rest of the class, "I agree that Barry should never have freed the Rogues. It was a stupid thing to do and it put more people in danger. He knows that."

Mina turned to Barry, "And I mean he really knows that. But in truth, there's only one person to truly blame here, Thawne."

Ojiro stepped forward, "That guy's a piece of work. He broke my tail."

"And he messed up my throat!" said Sato, "Screw that guy!"

"His grudge with Barry has affected us all." said Mina, "But that also means we have a grudge with him."

Turning to Barry, Mina smiled, "I don't know about you guys, but if Thawne shows up again, I'm confident that as long as we work together, we can beat him back. Barry can make up for what he did by catching Thawne, but while he can't do it alone, I know at least I'll have his back."

Barry looked at Mina in complete shock, unable to get a word out. After all the beatings, all the hurt, all the betrayals from Barry, Mina not only still wanted to associate with him and be friends with him, but when the time came, she wanted to fight Thawne with him. He couldn't believe it, but she was the most loyal friend he's ever had.

"Mina I…." Barry stood up, pausing for a moment before grabbing Mina and pulling her into a hug, "Thank you."

"B-Barry!" said Mina, blushing madly while patting him on the back, "You're squeezing me too much!"

"Peh," whispered Mineta in the back, "Lucky bastard."

"I'm with Ashido!" said Kirishima, "Barry's my best friend, and this guy's trying to wreck his life. There's no way I'm letting that stand. Plus, he broke my arms!"

Tokoyami took a step forward, "This truly evil man shall taste justice, mark my words!"

Tsuyu stepped forward, "These things shouldn't happen, we shouldn't have to break the rules to save our friends. I've been uncomfortable all evening about the news that you guys went out to rescue Bakugou, but hearing this, realizing just how bad it is out there. It made me rethink my feelings on the whole thing."

Midoriya walked in front of the class, "I don't know if I speak for everyone here, but we all realize just how much you've been through. We know how bad Thawne is, some of us even have firsthand experience. Know that when the time comes, you won't be alone when you face Thawne."

"We'll all be there if we have to." said Kaminari, "Because we forgive each other, and we stick together."

Barry watched as more and more of the class stepped forward, voicing their willingness to fight with Barry if and when the time came. The whole time Barry stood in silence, unable to respond as the rest of the class came together.

"I..." Barry choked on his words for what must have been the fiftieth time that night, "I'm sorry, I didn't expect you guys to just...forgive me like that."

"As long as you act responsibly from now on," said Iida, "We won't vilify you for this."

"Plus we'd be pretty bad friends if we just cut you off like that." said Kirishima.

Barry shuddered, barely managing a smile as he wiped the tears from his eyes, "S-So, what next?"

"What's next?" said Midoriya, "Well, I suppose we get out provisional licenses so we can legally take Thawne down!"

"Huh, that's right." said Kirishima, "Among other things that is what we're doing next!"

"Then it's settled." said Iida, "We'll move on like normal, getting our new licenses and improving our own skills! But when the time comes and Thawne returns, we'll be ready for him."

"Vengeance will be hours." chimed Tokoyami.

"And we can finally move on from the terror he's wrought." said Tsuyu.

Barry nodded, stepping back and sitting down again. He had done it. He had confessed his secrets, his misdeeds to the rest of the class, and they didn't eat him alive. Instead, they chose to help him. Even if Thawne attacked again, Barry was confident that with his friends' support, he could beat Thawne.

It was only a matter of time.

* * *

As the night truly fell and it was time for bed, Barry shuffled over to his room, closing the door behind him and crashing onto his mattress. It had been an emotionally overwhelming evening for him and all he wanted to do was sleep for a few days, but there was still something itching in the back of his mind. It was related to what the Black Flash said, something that dug at his inner self.

_Sorry Barry, but you're the Flash now. What that means isn't up to me anymore._

What does it mean to be the Flash? Barry didn't know, but he was determined to give it meaning, no matter what.

It was time to figure out who he really was and who he really wanted to be.


	65. A New Race

Barry's body slid across the ground, tumbling to a stop in front of Ectoplasm. The experienced hero looked down at Barry, watching as he struggled to a stand, "Try harder, you'll get this eventually."

Barry nodded, racing back into the fray. He was in a large warehouse with the rest of his class, attempting to create their ultimate moves. As Aizawa had explained in class prior to the training, the provisional exams would demand a lot more than other tests and they needed to raise their skill level in everything, including combat.

Among the various stone spires that served as their environment, the students practiced, attempting to use their quirks in a hard-hitting fashion. Mina created a spout with her hands, spraying a concentrated dose of acid from her hands. Bakugo did the same, cutting through solid stone with his explosions. Barry joined Iida as he sprinted around the perimeter, keeping pace with his friend.

"Having trouble?" asked Iida, "I'm attempting to strengthen my Recipro Boost, are you attempting an ultimate move of similar speed?"

"Well, kinda." said Barry, "It's hard to explain."

"Well!" said Iida, "Keep at it then!"

Iida activated his recipro boost, blazing ahead of Barry as he upped his own speed, pivoting in a different direction than Iida so he wouldn't get in the way. He gritted his teeth, pushing himself as hard as he could as he darted between the stone pillars, passing everyone by as he upped the pace.

_It's….It's not enough!_

Barry tripped once more, crashing headfirst into the ground before rolling into a stone spire next to Kirishima.

"Woah!" Yelped Kirishima, rushing over and helping Barry to his feet, "What are you doing man?"

"I'm trying something new, but it's not working." said Barry, "I...I'm not fast enough."

Kirishima scratched his head in confusion, "Damn, you're the fastest guy I know, and you need to go faster?"

"Yeah, it sounds stupid, but there's a barrier I need to break." said Barry.

"The sound barrier?" asked Kirishima.

"No, I've broken that one a ton already." said Barry.

"Huh, so those were the massive boom's I heard earlier." said Kirishima, "I assumed they were Bakugou."

"WHAT'D YOU SAY ABOUT ME?!" shouted Bakugou, out of sight but still audible.

"N-Nothing bad!" shouted back Kirishima, a nervous expression on his face.

"IT BETTER NOT BE!" shouted Bakugou, returning to his mantra of "DIE, DIE, DIE!"

Kirishima turned to Barry, "I don't know man, the only thing I can think of is if you just get faster overall. Improve the muscles the good old fashioned way!"

"I know that I could probably do this with enough build-up, but I won't always have 50 miles of legroom or the time to cross it at super speed." said Barry, "And the old fashioned way is too short, I need to learn this before the provisional exam."

Kirishima shrugged, "Sorry man, can't help you there."

Barry sighed, thanking Kirishima for trying to help anyway before getting back into the groove of it. He had an ultimate move in mind, something that would catch even Thawne off guard, but there was something missing, something that he needed to go that extra mile.

* * *

Barry stepped out of the shower, drying himself off at super-speed before changing into some more casual clothing. Sitting down on the couch in the common's room, Barry flipped through his notebook, checking all the drawings, designs, and potential power moves he came up with. Out of all of the moves he had come up with, only one truly stuck out, with the others either being too weak or potentially taking years to master. Even then, this single move was proving difficult to master, so something had to change, but what?

"BOO!"

Mina popped up from behind Barry, attempting to startle him with a simple jumpscare, but Barry was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice. Mina pouted, putting her hands on her hips as she leaned over the back of the couch, inspecting Barry's face.

"Psst, Barry." whispered Mina, but Barry didn't respond, "Barry!"

The hushed responses didn't seem to be working, so Mina backed up, tapping her finger on her chin in thought. Suddenly, a wry smirk spread across her face as she got a very devious idea. Waltzing over behind Barry, Mina leaned on his head, pressing the back of his skull against her chest while beginning to play with his hair. Barry flipped a page, unaware of Mina's presence.

"Oh c'mon!" said Mina, "React! Do something!"

"Hmm?" said Barry, finally noticing that someone was fiddling with his golden locks, "Mina? Are you messing with my hair?"

"Yup!" said Mina, grinning, "Notice anything else?"

"No, I-" Barry froze, his face entering a bright shade of red as he zipped to the other side of the room, breathing heavily, "D-Don't do that, Mina!"

"Hmm? Why not?" said Mina, plopping onto the couch where Barry was sitting, "Messing with you is how I get my kicks."

"You can mess with me just don't..." Barry stopped himself, unsure of how to elaborate without going into more mature subject matter, "Just don't...use your body."

"What?! How can I mess with you without my hands?!" said Mina, "That isn't a fair rule!"

"Ok, fine, you can use your hands!" said Barry, "But nothing else!"

"I can't walk without my legs!" said Mina.

Barry groaned, "Fine, you can use your legs too."

"Great!" said Mina, reclining on the couch as Barry picked up his notebook, sitting across from her, "Whatcha doin?"

"Trying to think of a way to do this ultimate move." said Barry, "But I'm not quite fast enough to achieve it."

"Even you aren't fast enough?" said Mina, "Man, what is it? Some kind of super-speed punch?"

"No, nothing like that." said Barry, flipping through his notebook, "It's something completely new and different, but I need more speed. I can't get faster the old fashioned way, so I'm trying to think of a quicker route."

"Hmm," said Mina before she snapped her finger, "why don't you make your costume more aerodynamic or something?"

"Change my costume?" said Barry, "The difference would be minimal at best if I just change the way the suit is shaped."

"Then why don't you add some technical flair to it?" asked Mina, "Hatsume is helping build upgrades to other people's outfits, maybe she can help."

"Technical upgrades?" said Barry, a light bulb going off in his head, "Mina, that's perfect! How didn't I know about this?!"

"It's probably because Hatsume is a little...eccentric." said Mina, getting up from her seat and walking over to Barry, "Her experiments are pretty wacky."

"Nothing's too much if it means I can do this move!" said Barry, closing his notebook, "I'll draw up some initial designs then head over!"

"Nice, glad to see you're excited!" said Mina, abruptly sitting herself down on Barry's lap. Barry dropped his notebook, surprised by the sudden advance.

"Mina," said Barry, "what did we talk about just a few seconds ago."

"I can't use my body except for my arms and legs," said Mina, "This isn't breaking the rule."

Barry frowned, moving Mina to the other couch at super-speed before sitting down with his arms crossed, "Alright, rule change, you can use your feet to walk around."

"Oh?" said Mina, still retaining a mischievous smile, "Do you have a foot feti-"

Barry was ready for that one, "Do YOU have a Barry Allen fetish?"

"Y-" Mina's eyes widened as she clamped her hand over her mouth, stopping herself from answering. Entering a deeper shade of red, Mina began to stutter, "T-T-That's not a fair question!"

"Any fetish question isn't a fair question!" said Barry, getting up, "Seriously though, thanks for the advice, I'm off to start my costume redesigns!"

As Barry walked off, Mina reached out with her hand, almost calling out to him but ultimately getting cold feet and electing not to. As Barry walked out of sight, Mina could hear a subtle "Booooo" coming from around the other corner. Kaminari peeked his head out, casting a look of disappointment at Mina, who scrunched her face in frustration before pounding her foot against the ground, "I'll get to it eventually! Stop rushing me!"

* * *

Barry trotted down the hall, making his way towards the engineering wing of the school with his notebook tucked under his arm. After a night of brainstorming, he'd come up with some initial designs for the new suit, but he would need to build and test them first. Shuffling up to the large metal door to the workshop, Barry knocked 3 times, stepping back before taking a deep breath.

_Mina mentioned that Hatsume was eccentric. I wonder how mu-_

"It's you!"

Hatsume kicked the door open, grabbing Barry by the shirt and yanking him inside. Barry yelped as the door closed behind him, unable to break Hatsume's iron grip as she flung Barry onto a makeshift treadmill. He wasn't even able to properly take in his surroundings when Hatsume plopped a metal bowl connected to a computer via wires atop his head.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Hatsume, "Run!"

The treadmill rumbled to a start, forcing Barry to start jogging at super speed, "Uh-Um-Hi!"

"Hello!" said Hatsume, "Sorry, once I knew you were coming, I had to prepare something really good for testing! You want to get faster for a special move right?"

"Yeah I-...wait how did you know I was trying to get faster?" asked Barry.

"Ashido or whoever the pink one is told me!" said Hatsume, "Among other things."

"What other things?" asked Barry.

"It doesn't matter," Hatsume proclaimed as she looked at the computer screen, "because these readings are super interesting!"

The treadmill began to gradually slow down, allowing Barry to take the helmet off and step back onto solid ground. Hatsume led him to the computer, showing him the readings. The speed graph was indeed off the charts.

"How much faster do you need to go?" asked Hatsume.

"Just a little faster," said Barry, "But I think I can reach that goal with a smart redesign of my suit."

"OOH!" said Hatsume, "Do you need boosters?"

"At the speed I'm going, boosters aren't going to make a difference." said Barry, pulling out his notebook and showing Hatsume the design he made, "I was thinking more along the lines of kinetic energy absorption."

Hatsume grabbed the notebook out of his hands, reading over it with glee before immediately bolting to her workbench, "The boots already have a design, though some improvements could be made so you can just slip in them quickly with the rest of the suit. The actual fabric is what you want for kinetic absorption right?"

"Y-Yeah." said Barry, surprised that Hatsume was processing and planning out improvements to the plan so quickly. She really did have the mind of an engineer.

"The boots will need some stuff in them to absorb your leftover speed," said Hatsume, "I'll need to run more speed tests to get a feel for how to do that!"

"Oh, ok!" said Barry, "How many runs do you need me to do?"

Hatsume chuckled, "I'm going to need 50 distinct running positions mapped out, just so the boots don't impede you if you start running in a strange way. I'll also need to ask why you want these little Lightning bolts on the side of your head?"

Barry felt a smile creep across his face, "Think of it as a way of honoring the one who came before me."

Hatsume shrugged, "Alright, have it your way. Just saying it's not the best thing for aerodynamics!"

Barry chuckled, getting back on the treadmill and donning the helmet, "I can make it work."

* * *

"Hatsume!"

Kendo strolled into the workshop with Derek, pulling him by the arm as his eyes darted around nervously, "C'mon Kendo, this isn't necessary."

"Eight bullet wounds say otherwise Derek," said Kendo, "Face it, you could use some protection. Plus, I could use a few improvements to my own outfit."

"I don't need it!" whined Derek.

Kendo grumbled, whirling around and grabbing Derek by the head, "Do you like getting shot?"

She asked the question with such aggression that Derek could only whimper, "N-No."

"Cool, then making your suit a little more resilient won't hurt, will it?" said Kendo, staring Derek right in the eyes.

"N-No." responded Derek.

"Then let's ask around!" said Kendo, turning around, "Hatsume, we need-"

Kendo stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Barry on the treadmill, his legs like lightning as he sprinted in place. Hatsume typed frantically at the computer, barking orders to Barry.

"Now you move Backwards!" she shouted, prompting Barry to spin in place, racing against the treadmill while backpedaling.

"Oh, hey guys!" said Barry, almost tumbling as he momentarily lost his footing, "Good to see you're out of the hospital Derek."

"Yeah, but I got something else too!" said Derek, prompting Kendo to step forward, "Hatsume, we're looking for a way to make Derek's costume bulletproof? Do you have any ideas?"

"Yeah, just let me finish up with Larry here!" said Hatsume.

"It's Barry, not Larry." said Barry, slowing down as the treadmill began to power down. Hopping off the machine, Barry wiped the sweat off his forehead as Kendo began an animated conversation with Hatsume, attempting to figure out how exactly they could integrate kevlar into Derek's outfit.

"Shouldn't you be talking about your suit with them?" asked Barry, "I wouldn't trust Hatsume on her own, she'd probably make something a little, explosive."

"Nah, Kendo's got it." said Derek, "I trust my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" said Barry, "You mean you and Kendo are..."

"Yeah!" said Derek, "I kinda botched the confession because I thought I was gonna die at the time, so I just said I had a crush on her than went into a bit of a suicide run. The good part is I survived!"

Derek glanced at Kendo, "The bad part is that even though we're in a relationship, seeing me nearly die has made her a bit overprotective."

"It's not overprotectiveness!" shouted Kendo, "Bullets are a real issue!"

"Yeah, I know!" said Derek, "But it's not THAT much of an issue."

"Alright! That's it!" Kendo placed her hand on Hatsume's shoulder, "Sorry Hatsume, but I need to have a talk with Derek before we continue this conversation."

"W-What!" said Derek, watching helplessly as Kendo strolled over to him, enlarging her hands and picking him up by the torso. Barry chuckled as Kendo carried him out of the room, only to have Hatsume tap his shoulder.

"Hey, the design's all mapped out, anything else you want out of the suit?" asked Hatsume.

Barry thought for a moment, wondering what else he could want from the suit. Granted, in terms of how it was designed, he was set, but there was just one extra detail he could think of.

"Yeah, can it fit into a ring?" asked Barry.

* * *

The explosive sounds of quirks in effect resounded within the warehouse once more, causing Ectoplasm to shudder a little. The kids were getting better at this, mainly due to their intensive training regiment. Bakugou was blasting holes through solid granite, Midoriya was knocking debris out of the air with his legs, and even Iida was getting more out of his recipro boost.

There was just one more person who had to show some real progress.

"Hey Sensei?" said Mina, talking to one of the many clones of the teacher, "Where's Barry? Is he in trouble?"

"No, I'm told he's commissioning a new costume." said Ectoplasm, "He'll be here once it's finished."

"And it's finished!"

Barry slid to a stop in front of the two, brandishing his gym clothes and an auspicious golden ring, "Check it out!"

Barry held his hand up, showing Mina the golden ring. It was shiny, bearing the Flash insignia on its front, "Cool right?"

"Uuh..." Mina wasn't sure how to respond. It was a flashy ring to be fair, but that didn't exactly constitute an entire costume, "Yeah, it's cool I guess, but where's the rest of it?"

"Why it's right here!" said Barry, placing his fingers on the sides of the ring and rotating its outer disk. As the disk clicked into place, the top popped open, allowing for a shrunken red outfit to pop out. It was a one-piece outfit, almost completely red with the exception of yellow boots and little lightning bolts on the sides of the mask. Smaller lightning insignias wrapped around Barry's forearms and torso, with the final detail being the black and white circle with the yellow lightning emblazoned across. Smirking, Barry plucked the costume out of the air and got into it at super speed, posing as Mina fully processed the costume.

"W-What?!" said Mina, shocked at the choice of costume, "It looks just like-"

"Thawne's costume, I know," said Barry, "but I decided to swap the color scheme around a little, just so he's still my reverse in a way."

Mina was unsure of how to feel at first, but looking Barry up and down, she found that the look suited him more and more, "It's...actually a really cool costume."

Mina's eyes drifted downward, "I see you also returned to tight pants."

Barry resisted the urge to place his hands over his crotch, instead grimacing, "It was a necessary evil to fulfill the properties I needed this suit to have."

"Ashido, cut it out." said Ectoplasm, "Barry, don't you have an ultimate move to perform?"

"Oh, right!" said Barry, "But I'll need a volunteer. Can I borrow Mina?"

"HUH?!" said Mina, "I'm not gonna volunteer to get obliterated by pure speed!"

"My move has nothing to do with obliteration." said Barry, "You won't get hurt."

Mina shifted uncomfortably, tapping her foot while crossing her arms, "I dunno..."

"C'mon! Trust me!" said Barry, holding out his hand with a smile on his face.

That smile, it had a way of convincing Mina that anything was possible. Was this a good idea? Probably not, but this was Barry we were talking about. She trusted Barry with her life.

"Alright, let's do it!"

* * *

"Uh, so what do I do now?" asked Mina, standing on one side of the Warehouse.

"Just stay still," said Barry, getting into a running position, "you'll be just fine."

The rest of the class sat atop the stone spires, watching Barry with intent. After failing for the past week or so, there was doubt that he could pull the move he had in mind off.

"What's a new suit gonna do?" said Mineta, "Not trying to be rude but-"

"You're being rude," said Uraraka, "So stop."

Kirishima observed Barry, having hope that his friend could do it, "You've got this, buddy!"

Barry took a deep breath, tensing his muscles as he prepared to enter a dead sprint. He'd need to hit near light speed if he wanted to do what he needed to do, so hopefully the suit would do what it was intended to do. Cracking his neck, Barry took one more breath before he started.

*SHOOM*

Barry exploded from his position, throwing himself towards the pillars at super speed. He smirked, shifting his balance and weaving between the cold granite. He could hear the sound barrier *POP* around the halfway point, and it was here that he usually peaked, but with his new suit, it was time to get a boost. As he radiated lightning, it became attracted to his boots, refracting back into the outfit and his body. By catching this loose lighting, Barry could feel wasted speed be used, boosting his leg power and propelling him forward.

In less than a second, he caught up to Mina, who stood there, blissfully unaware of the fact that Barry was already here. Instead of violently obliterating her, Barry gently picked her up off the ground, closing his eyes as he felt the speed force within himself.

It was time to go back.

Allowing his mind to drift, Barry and Mina exploded through a portal of lightning, which promptly closed behind them. In the space of less than a second, the class had gotten to watch a red and yellow blur cross the room and explode into lightning with Mina.

"A-Are they dead?!" shouted Midoriya, "Oh no! It went wrong!"

* * *

A white sky peppered with multi-colored lighting, coupled with a barren rocky island floating in the void was the exact setting Barry hoped to land in when he came back to the speed force. Skidding to a stop, He placed Mina on the ground, who's jaw dropped instantly when she noticed their unbelievable environment.

"W-Where are we?" asked Mina, staring in wonder at the rest of the void.

"I did it." whispered Barry, throwing his fists into the air, "I DID IT! I GOT BACK INTO THE SPEED FORCE!"

As Barry continued to jubilate, Mina wandered around the small rocky island, looking in all directions. The bright void of the speed force was something you just couldn't take your eyes off of, especially after seeing it for the first time, "So this is the place where your speed comes from?"

"Yeah, the ultimate move is to drag a super dangerous villain like Thawne into the speed force, then leave them here." said Barry, "Until he got free, Zoom was trapped here, so why don't I just dump some other dangerous criminals here until they need to be processed? Thinking about it though, I should have told some of the others about this, they're probably worried."

"That's...a great idea." said Mina, still captivated by the sky, "Man, this place is beautiful."

"I know," said Barry, pulling his mask off as he looked into the lighting ridden skies, "There are even some jungle islands floating around, though I don't remember quite where they are."

"Naw, forget the jungle," said Mina, sitting down on the ground while staring into the open, "the skies all I need to see."

"True, we should be getting back," said Barry, "I'll just have to run in enough circles to accrue enough speed-"

"Wait, let's not go yet." said Mina, patting the spot next to her, "Let's just sit and look at the lightning for a bit."

Barry scratched his head, "I dunno Mina, it'd be good if we came back as soon as we could."

"Just ten minutes," said Mina, "Please?"

Barry looked at the sky and then to Mina, seeing the wonder in her eyes. He'd never seen her this calm before, nor this serious. There was no teasing or hyperactivity. There was just...calmness. Barry sighed, sitting down next to Mina to watch the sky. It was true that despite the inherent dangers of the Speed Force, it had one hell of a sky. Like a canvas painted by a true master, the speed force created its own art for the two heroes, letting them revel in pure beauty.

Mina yawned, positioning herself to lean on Barry. Barry shuddered for a second, looking at Mina, "What? I can't rest here?"

Barry sighed, "No, go ahead."

Mina smiled, resting her entire body against Barry's. His internal lightning functioned as a source of warmth, allowing Mina to get comfortable as they watched the void together. Mina exhaled, feeling her entire form relax all at once. As the two stared up into the sky, Mina placed her arms around Barry, resting her head under his as purple lightning flashed right in front of them.

This was a moment she'll treasure forever, she was sure of it.

* * *

"Excellent grades, excellent work ethic, and now, an excellent quirk." said Nezu, looking up from his computer from within his office, "Now all we have to do is figure out how to test you."

Wally sat across from Nezu, tapping his feet at super speed. He was nervous, very nervous, but also extremely excited.

"Is there an event happening soon?" asked Wally, "A test where I can prove myself?"

"Well, the provisional license exam is coming up, but that's for experienced students only." said Nezu, raising his eyebrow, "Unless you think you qualify?"

"Heh," said Wally, cracking his knuckles, "Looks like I'll kill two birds with one stone."


	66. The Deep End

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

The alarm clock blared as Barry hit the reset button at super speed, jumping out of bed and popping into the shower, leaving only a small trail of lightning behind. After around 5 seconds of hyper quick scrubbing, Barry brushed his teeth before tossing his school uniform on. Getting in front of the mirror, Barry smiled, cracking his neck and knuckles with glee.

Today's the day. It was time to get his provisional license.

* * *

"Man, I wonder what the actual test is?" piped Kirishima, slipping his uniform onto his body with the rest of the boys in the locker room. Barry smirked, slipping his ring over his finger, "I'm not entirely sure, but I doubt any of us will fail. I've got faith in our strength!"

Swinging the locker door open, Barry moved with the rest of his class, trudging outside to the bus. Jay and Aizawa stood in front of the transportation, prepared to greet their students. The sun beamed down hard, reflecting off of Barry's blonde hair as the class stopped in front of the teachers.

"Alright everyone, you know what's up." said Aizawa, "Due to the increased threat of the League of Villains, we've elected to get you your provisional licenses early."

"As such, we decided that we should set some expectations," said Jay, "I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. This test will be difficult, really difficult, but I'm confident each and every single one of you can pass it. You're UA students after all."

Jay raised his hand, giving the whole class a thumbs up, "You've got this! Plus Ultra!"

"PLUS ULTRA!" roared the class.

Pouring into the bus with the rest of his class, Barry took a seat next to Midoriya as the engine rumbled, signaling their journey off to Takoba National Stadium, where they'll be tested with trials and tribulations in order to earn their rights to be heroes.

"Man, I'm actually a little nervous." said Kaminari, "We've been training for a while, but then again, so have the other schools. You think we can beat em out?"

"Don't worry about it Kaminari, we've got this in the bag!" said Barry.

As the bus turned onto the main road, Jay yawned, reclining in his seat next to Aizawa, who remained in the driver's seat. Aizawa glanced at the relaxed former Flash, raising his eyebrow at the smirk on his face.

"How are you holding up, Garrick?" said Aizawa, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Hm?" said Jay, clearing his throat, "Well, I'm a bit tired but-"

"No, I mean..." Aizawa sighed, "I mean after losing your speed."

Jay stared at Aizawa for a moment, unsure of what to think before chuckling to himself, "Well, I haven't quite learned to stop overeating. My metabolism isn't rapid anymore so I've found myself having more than I can handle."

Aizawa stopped at a red light, turning to stare in confusion at Jay, "You're not upset that you've lost your power, your title?"

"Well, at first yes, I was fairly upset." said Jay, "But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this was bound to happen at some point. I'm old, and I was already getting slower, what happened in Kamino just sped up the process."

Jay relaxed in his seat, leaning back, "I may not be Flash, but I'm not useless quite yet. All that knowledge in my noggin is still going to a good place. So to answer your question, yeah, I'm holding up just fine."

As Jay closed his eyes in order to catch up on lost sleep, Aizawa turned his attention back to the road as the light turned green. As the bus cruised down the road, he couldn't help but let a smile sneak onto his face. He hadn't known Jay for long, but the two had become fast friends in the short time they had taught at UA together. Seeing that Jay was dealing with his circumstances quite well put him at ease, allowing him to focus on getting his students into fighting shape.

If even one failed, there would be a reckoning.

* * *

As the bus screeched to a halt, the class poured out into the front courtyard of the stadium. Much like the stadium that housed the sports tournament, it was a large and expansive building, though it lacked the open top. As Barry strolled out of the bus, Jay tapped his shoulder.

"Hey, I know you're raring to go in with the rest of the class, but there's something I've got to pull you aside for something." said Jay, "It'll be quick, we'll have you back in time for the test instructions."

Barry grimaced, he was hoping to be able to size up the competition, see what he was up against, but ultimately, he understood that whatever this was, it was important.

"Ok." said Barry, nodding. As Jay led him towards the front doors off the building, Barry could catch the glimpses of various students from other schools checking him out, sizing him up and determining how much of a threat he was. Barry noticed the eyes drift to his fellow classmates, giving Barry the impression that there was a pattern.

Everybody had their eyes on UA.

As he walked through the front door with Jay, Barry bumped into a fellow student.

"Sorry!" piped Barry, "Didn't mean to-"

"Hah, no problem!" piped the student in rough Japanese, a hispanic boy in a Shiketsu uniform, "Just passing through to get back with my friends! I'll see you in the test, Amigo!"

As the boy walked out into the courtyard, Barry couldn't help but keep his eyes on the boy. He was definitely a transfer student if his less than fluent Japanese was anything to go by, but what really made Barry think was the people he was with. They were a bunch of Shiketsu High students, though he was meeting up with a blonde girl in particular.

"Barry. C'mon, let's go." said Jay.

"Coming!" said Barry, glancing one last time before following Jay.

* * *

"Just through here." said Jay, leading Barry into a small office just outside the stadium. Walking inside, Barry stopped, eyes wide in surprise.

"W-Wally?!"

Sure enough, amidst the spare printer paper and dusty desks of the office stood Wally, all dressed up in his makeshift Flash costume. He smirked, tapping his foot at superspeed as he sped up in front of Barry in a flash of lightning, holding his hand out, "Barry! Great to see you again!"

"You-What-how-"

As Barry stuttered, unable to get a word out, Jay placed a hand on his shoulder, "Let me explain. From what Wally has told me, during your fight with Captain Cold back in the training camp, you unleashed a burst of pure speed force energy. That energy washed over Wally, giving him a connection to the speed force."

Jay glanced at Wally, who was still tapping his foot at super speed while holding out his hand. Nodding in what seemed to be understanding, Barry reached out and shook Wally's hand.

"Nice!" said Wally, "Can'twaittobeinUA!"

Barry's eyes widened, "Wait, what?! How is he joining UA?!"

"He's being moved up a grade," said Jay, "He wants to join UA's hero program. Nezu seems to have taken a liking to him because right now he's getting fast-tracked into your class. Trouble is, he still wants to test Wally, so he's put him in the provisional license exam with the rest of your class."

"Yup!" said Wally, "I get to kill two birds with one stone!"

As Wally excitedly paced to himself, Jay leaned in to whisper to Barry, "He's excited, but I don't think he quite realizes just how tough it'll be. This might get Wally into UA quickly, but Nezu has really dropped him into the deep end right away."

Jay stood tall, "That's why I called you here. Wally doesn't have much training or experience. He may be a quick learner, but he's still completely out of his depth. I need you to keep an eye on him, help him out in whatever ways you can. You have the same powers after all."

Barry turned to look at Wally, who waved while excitedly fiddling with his goggles. As sudden as this all was, Barry couldn't help but smile at Wally's infectious enthusiasm. He really wanted this, and Barry was ready to help him achieve it.

"Alright, I'm game." said Barry, "But he should stick close. We don't even know what the test is."

"That's the idea." said Jay, turning to Wally, "Alright champ, it's time. You two head down to the main auditorium. The rules will be explained there."

"YES!" exclaimed Wally, running in place with extreme excitement, "C'mon Barry! Let's go!"

As Wally quickly walked out of the room, Barry followed, leaving Jay in the office. Leaning on one of the desks, Jay smirked, chuckling at the fact that even in another reality, Wally and Barry were still destined to be the best of friends.

* * *

"Ugh, it's really crowded in here," said Wally, "You'd think that with around one point five thousand of us in here, they'd use a bigger room."

Barry grimaced as he squeezed himself in between a few other students. The room was indeed extremely claustrophobic, with tons of students with various costumes littering the area. A haggard man with long messy hair in a suit and tie stepped up onto the podium, dark lines permeating the area under his eyes.

"Good….*Yawn*...morning everyone, I'll skip the spiel and get right to it." said the man, "For the first phase of our test, everyone in this room will be subjected to a large free for all exercise."

Barry frowned, a huge free for all with over a thousand people would be difficult to manage, even with his speed. Helping Wally throughout the whole thing made an already difficult task harder.

"The hero market is extremely saturated, with so many dreamers wanting to make it big, but not everyone is up to snuff with the standards society has set." said the man, "As such, practically all situations must be resolved quickly and efficiently, as such this test revolved around speed. The first one hundred examinees to pass the test will move on. The rest will be failed."

Barry's eyes widened, only the first one hundred students will pass phase one? While speed being imperative gave both Wally and him the edge, it didn't change the fact that they had beat out over ninety percent of the competition. It was a tall order for sure, and the rest of the crowd knew that, citing their own issues and complaints out loud.

Glancing over at Wally, Barry could tell from the look on his face that he wasn't exactly confident either. Even then, Barry tightened his fists. He wouldn't let this stop him, even if the odds weren't in his favor.

"The test involves these." said the man, pulling out a target and an orange ball, "You will attach three of these targets on your body. Doesn't matter where as long as it's in an exposed position. You also get six of these balls. If a ball makes contact with a target, it lights up and is counted as a hit. Get hit in all three targets and you're disqualified. Your goal is to disqualify 2 other contestants before you make your way to the exit in order to pass the first phase."

The man stood up, pointing at the ceiling as the room seemed to fall away, "The balls and targets will be rolled out shortly. For now, you can check out the arena."

As the walls suddenly began to fall back, Barry's heart stopped when he realized that the auditorium wasn't really a room, but a box to hold them in before dumping them straight into the arena. The area was massive, comparable in size and in appearance to the USJ. Wally inched closer to Barry, "We should meet up with the rest of the class, stick together. Seems like the ideal way to win."

Barry nodded, "Good idea."

Pushing their way through the crowd, Barry pressed his fingers on his ring, watching his costume shoot out and putting it on at super speed until everything but his mask was in place. Passing one of the organizers, Barry grabbed targets and balls for both himself and Wally.

"Woah!" said Wally, "You got a new costume?!"

"Yeah, it's a way of amping my own speed." said Barry, placing the targets around his body, "You could use an upgrade once we pass this thing."

"Yeah, right! When I pass!" said Wally, remaining cautiously optimistic while placing his own targets.

"Barry!"

Mina's voice reached Barry's ears as the two joined the main group, though Kirishima, Bakugou, and Todoroki were notably missing, "You made it! And...Wally?"

"Heyo!" said Wally, waving at Midoriya, "Don't mind me, this is my entrance exam for UA."

"What?!" said Mina, "Isn't this a little harsh for an entrance exam?! You don't even have any training!"

"He's getting dropped in the deep end," said Barry, "That's why I'm looking after him for the most part. I'm basically the training wheels."

Mina raised her eyebrow, "Wouldn't that impede your own chances?"

"C'mon Mina, this test is based around speed! I live and breathe speed!" said Barry, "I've got this in the bag, and that's a Flash Fact!"

Mina, while still a little worried, giggled at Barry's cheesy catchphrase, "Alright, I trust ya, but still, be careful."

Barry nodded, stating "I will." as the countdown started.

"Five!"

Mina cracked her knuckles before getting into her running stance.

"Four!"

Wally grabbed the goggles around his forehead, sliding them over his eyes.

"Three!"

Barry took a deep breath, stretching his arms and legs.

"Two!"

Sliding his mask over his head, Barry got into a running stance.

"One!"

Noticing Barry in his stance, Wally quickly jumped into his own stance.

"GO!"

"A contest around speed? I know who has to go first!"

Mere milliseconds after the start of the test, an armored blue hand grabbed Barry by the ankle, dragging him into the air as fluttering metallic wings lifted his assailant into the sky. The sudden whiplash of being turned upside down so quickly dazed Barry, preventing him from immediately retaliating as he was ripped from the group.

"Barry!" shouted Mina.

"I'llgethimstaywiththegroup!" motored Wally, immediately taking off after Barry as Mina took off with the rest of the main group with wide eyes. She hated this, but she had to trust Barry could take care of himself.

* * *

Barry was unfocused for a moment, but only a moment. As his attacker raised an orange ball to strike one of Barry's targets while suspending him in the air, Barry pulled out one of his own, tossing it into one of his assailant's targets before delivering a barrage of rapid kicks to the enemy's chin. The enemy grunts, dropping Barry out of the air with only two targets still active on his body. Looking down, Barry realized that he was mere seconds from splatting against the ground, so he quickly rotated his arms, creating a wind buffer to slow his fall. Landing on his two feet, Barry turned to find his attacker when a flash of blue lightning blitzed across his vision.

"Hey, are you ok?!" said Wally, panting while in front of Barry, whose eyes widened.

"Wally, you're supposed to be with the group!" said Barry, "You're sabotaging yourself!"

"What, you expect me not to help you!" shouted Wally.

"I can handle myself, you can't do the same!" said Barry.

"It's not gonna be a problem for either of you soon enough."

Both speedsters turned to look up into the sky, finding a boy in some kind of beetle costume with wings. He had an alternating color scheme of blue and black, and yellow eye slits. His voice seemed familiar to Barry, but he couldn't quite place it.

"Because you're rocking against Blue Beetle!"

Wally smirked, "Two on one? Not a challenge."

"You might wanna re-examine that statement."

As a new feminine voice reached their ears, Metal bars and walls began to crash into the ground, forming a maze around the two speedsters. Looking up, Barry and Wally recoiled in surprise at the arrival of a second flying hero, though this one simply levitated without wings. She had blonde hair, wearing a silver and magenta costume with a cape.

"It's two on two," she said, "because Magenta just entered the brawl!"


	67. Wally West: Rising Star

Barry flipped through the air, landing on his feet before racing ahead, dodging the volleys of blue laser blasts as they came down from the sky. Blue Beetle followed him closely, not quite keeping pace but still managing to keep Barry on his toes from a distance.

"Man, you really are fast as all hell!" said Beetle, "But can you outrun light speed lasers?!"

True enough, the lasers themselves were just as fast as Barry, making craters around him as he continued to dodge and weave throughout the arena. He had to think of something fast.

"Hey, catch!" said Barry, spinning around and unleashing a bolt of lighting at Beetle. Not expecting the sudden turnaround, Beetle yelped as he was blasted in the chest, falling to the ground as Barry slid to a stop.

_I should tag him while he's down, that way I'll only have one left to go!_

As Barry raced forward, Beetle began to stir. Realizing that he was about to be disqualified, he quickly blasted into the sky, lightning bolting around him as Barry was thrown onto his back.

"Haha! Not this time!" said Beetle.

Barry stumbled to a stand, smirking, "Yeah, next time I'll only need to hit two targets!"

Beetle raised his eyebrow, checking himself over only to find that one of his targets had lit up. He looked back at Barry, who still had all six balls, "You forget, I'm the fastest guy here. Getting close is a bit of a death sentence in this kind of test."

Beetle grimaced, "Then I guess I'll have to keep hitting you with the laser!"

Flying back up into the air, Beetle began to bombard Barry with more laser blasts. Barry resumed his tactic of running, going up the dirt hill in order to catch up with Wally, who was currently preoccupied with Magenta, "How're you doing, Wally?"

Wally dove out of the way as Magenta slammed a large slab of metal in the spot he was previously occupying, tearing it to pieces with her magnetic powers and sending them all after him. Acting quick on his feet, Wally sidestepped and leaped over the projectiles, barely avoiding harm.

"Oh, I'm good!" said Wally, "Almost died, but that's fine!"

"We need to take these guys down." said Barry, "Stick with me. One speedster is a bundle of trouble for them, but two will be too much to handle, even if you're inexperienced."

Wally shook his head, "We need to strike back, hit them separately and finish this quickly, we don't have much time."

Barry shook his head, "Let's stick to the basics. Try and overwhelm them with speed, make easy hit and run attacks. They're flying, which might make this difficult, but try and find a way to get them to close the distance. We hit one at the same time and then the other one."

"I just-Screw it!" yelled Wally.

Wally nodded, splitting off to Barry's chagrin jumped back into action against Beetle, throwing another lightning bolt at the insectoid hero in training. Spiraling out of the way, Beetle smirked, forming shoulder-mounted missile launchers from his suit.

"Dodge this!" shouted Beetle, watching the missiles fire from his shoulders, arcing and pivoting in the air on their way towards Barry. Sliding to a stop, Barry made a hundred and eighty-degree turn, taking off in the opposite direction to put some distance between himself and the missiles. As the missiles got farther away, Barry quickly made a wide turn, aiming himself at Beetle with the missiles on his tail. As he got closer to Beetle, he quickly did a backflip, watching the missiles fly underneath him and straight towards Beetle.

_Return to sender._

Eyes widening, Beetle quickly clasped his hands together, forming a single large cannon that created a massive laser, obliterating the missiles as Barry ran in from the side, tagging Beetle with another ball before he blasted off into the air.

"DAMNIT! I need backup!" said Beetle, turning towards Magenta, "Frankie!"

Magenta caught a fist to the face as Wally jumped back, circling her before kicking her in the back. He just had to hit her a few more times before she was down for the count, then he would disqualify her and move onto the next one.

As Magenta heard Beetle's cry for help, she realized that she needed Wally out of the picture. As his fist blazed towards her, she dug up a piece of rebar from the ground, wrapping it around his wrist and lifting him up using her magnesis.

"HUH?!" yelped Wally, suspended off the ground and unable to run. He struggled against the trap, trying to pry himself free as Magenta leaned in.

"I'd love to defeat you, but I need to help my friend," said Magenta, "Sayonara!"

With the flick of her wrist, Wally went sailing high into the air, flying out of sight as Barry turned just in time to see it happen, "WALLY!"

Waving her hand, Magenta brought a metal pipe down on Barry's neck, slamming him into the ground as she began to circle him from above with Beetle.

"Not so tough now, huh?" said Beetle, "One speedy guy is more manageable than two."

Barry gritted his teeth, his heart beating faster as his nostrils flared, "Maybe, but now I'm gonna kick it into high gear!"

Vibrating his molecules, Barry passed through the pipe, flipping back onto his feet with lightning in his eyes, "You guys are gonna realize that even one of us is dangerous, especially now that I know what my powers are."

Clenching his fists, Barry raised them as Beetle and Magenta dove at him, resuming the fight.

* * *

Wally was still getting used to the art of going fast as a newly formed speedster. He could run fast and hit fast, and that was basically it. He didn't know how to throw lightning or vibrate through walls, and most importantly, he didn't know how to make little tornadoes that would slow his fall.

That would really come in handy at the moment.

Wally flipped through the air, wind whipping through his hair as he reached the apex of his ascent. If he fell all the way down to the ground area of the arena, he'd be breaking bones for sure. If that happened, he could kiss his UA entry goodbye.

_Ok Wally, pull yourself together, this can't be that hard!_

Stretching his arms out, Wally began to spin his limbs, attempting to replicate Barry's technique in creating a draft. However, because he hasn't practiced this kind of thing, it didn't exactly go the way he intended it to go.

As he sailed through the air, falling into the city zone of the arena, he spotted a tower near his downward spiral. Realizing that he would pass it as he fell, Wally attempted to angle himself towards the rooftop, spinning his arms quickly in an attempt to reach safety. Unfortunately, still being fairly new to this kind of thing, Wally only managed to knock himself into a more violent spin, sending him crashing headfirst into the rooftop and causing him to tumble a few feet before sliding to a stop.

"Ow." mumbled Wally, rubbing his head as he sat up, "Well, at least I'm not dead."

"Phase 2 complete, now I just need to-What the?!"

Hearing a voice on the rooftop with him, Wally hopped onto his feet to face a girl in a white uniform and beret. She brandished what looked like a slingshot hand, with each string attached to her pinky finger and thumb respectively.

Bringing her normal hand up to her ear, she quickly talked into what appeared to be an earpiece, "Intelli, I have an interloper! Dispatch him immediately? Yes, ma'am!"

"Wait!" said Wally, "Can't we talk about this-"

Without a moment's hesitation, the girl stretched her slingshot back, unleashing a blue projectile straight at Wally. If not for his speed, it would have hit dead-on, wiping him out and knocking him unconscious. As time slowed, Wally bent his back, ducking under the projectile and watching it sail over his head. As he straightened his back, Wally blitzed towards the girl, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her into a trip. With a one-two punch, Wally knocked her out before kneeling down in order to disqualify her using his target balls.

"Hello? Are you there?"

Wally could hear a voice coming from the earpiece in the girl's ear. Pulling it out, Wally brang it up next to his own ear and listened in.

"Is the variable disposed of? We are beginning phase 3 of our plan. The UA students are almost done for. Hurry up and respond!"

Wally frowned, putting the earpiece down and walking over to where the girl was originally situated. Looking across the way, he could see another building with shattered windows, their cracked status obscuring any and all views outside or inside.

_There are UA students in there?_

Wally wasn't sure what to do. They were likely in a situation where they were opposed by multiple opponents. If Wally jumped in, he might be screwing himself over. However, if there were fellow students in that tower, there was now way he was gonna leave them. As Wally was deep in thought, the windows began to get shuttered over by metal barriers, closing the floor off from the rest of the outside world.

_Crud, I gotta make a choice, now or never!_

Stepping back, Wally decided on what was easily his stupidest plan yet. As he reached the other side of the rooftop, he knelt down, gearing up for a mad sprint. As the final shutters began to come down, Wally exploded into a run, crossing the rooftop within seconds before making an insane leap across the street.

He just had to hope he hits his mark.

* * *

Barry landed next to the water based section of the arena, sprinting next to the waves as his pursuers rained lasers and metal objects from above. Magenta and Beetle are hot on his tail, keeping their distance after Beetle learned his lesson with Barry. As Barry weaves in between the attacks, his mind goes into overdrive, trying to figure out a way to beat them as the dust explodes beneath his feet. He needed to find Wally, but he couldn't with these two on his tail.

_They're keeping away from me, and unlike before, there's no way I can trick them into getting close. So I'm gonna have to bring the fight to them!_

Beetle's energy blasts may not be physical, but Magenta's metallic projectiles were. As the pieces of scrap and rebar flew through the air, Barry planted his heel into the ground, twisting it and doing a complete one-eighty before sprinting towards his opponent. Leaping off the ground, Barry landed on one of the airborne pieces of scrap, using them as stepping stones as he ascended towards his flying quarry.

The sudden turnaround surprised both Beetle and Magenta, who stopped their assault in an attempt to cease giving Barry routes to reach them, but it was too late. There was already enough debris in the air for Barry to hop all the way to them, and now all they could do was attempt to respond. Noticing that Beetle was already one target away from being disqualified, Magenta whispered a quick "Sorry" to him before waving her hand, taking control of Beetle's metallic suit and tossing him away as Barry finally reached the two. With Beetle out of range, Barry was left only with Magenta. Before she could attempt to defend herself, Barry grabbed ahold of her, quickly slotting each orange ball into its target before kicking her away, landing as she floated to the ground.

"Damnit." said Magenta, "You're way faster than you looked on tv."

"Magenta!" shouted Beetle, hovering above Barry, "I'll get you, you-"

Suddenly, Beetle stopped talking, as if being addressed by someone else, "What? But he defeated Magenta! I have to-...Fine."

Beetle pointed an accusing finger at Barry, his face contorted in anger, "Well played buddy, you'll definitely go down in the next round if we're still competing!"

With those words, Beetle took off into the sky, likely to find a less dangerous opponent and leaving Magenta behind with Barry. Barry rubbed the back of his head, feeling a little guilty, "I uh, I'm sorry. It's just that, I need this, for really important reasons."

"Eh, don't worry about it, you beat me fair and square." said Magenta, "There's always the next test, they're only a few months apart anyway."

Barry nodded, "Nice to know there's no bad blood."

*SCREECH*

Suddenly, the loudspeakers screamed out feedback, followed by the tapping of a microphone.

"Is this thing working? Who knows. Anyway, stats say fifty people have finished the first round. Speed it up if you wanna move on."

Barry's eyes widened, he needed to find Wally fast.

"Sorry, I gotta go! Best of luck for next time!" said Barry before he promptly sped off, starting a search for the person he was supposed to be helping.

_C'mon Wally, where are you?!_

* * *

"This is a bad situation."

Yaoyorozu hid behind cover, sitting tight with Tsuyu while Jiro kept in cover with Shoji while clutching her left amp. The four had relocated this tower after their class got separated during the chaos, but now it seemed that someone had singled them out.

And they were smart.

First, they played loud music that reverberated through the walls, preventing Jiro and Shoji from using their quirks for information gathering. Second, they shattered the windows on the floor, preventing Shoji from further using his quirk for info. In addition, whoever shattered the windows also managed to get a hit on Jiro, damaging her amp and wounding her left ear. Now the four were stuck in cover, unable to do much but wait for whoever was going after them.

"What if we make a run for the stairs or the elevator shaft?" asked Tsuyu.

"No, they've taken many of our abilities into account." said Yaoyorozu, "They've probably blocked that off."

"Is there a possibility Tsuyu and I could just take them on ourselves while you two support us?" asked Shoji.

Yaoyorozu shook her head, "We don't know how many of them there are, it's a risk we can't take."

*Shutter*

Suddenly, metallic shutters began to fall over the windows, shutting the students in.

"Damn, they're locking us in!" said Jiro.

"Wait!" said Shoji, one of his limbs forming into an ear, "I can hear….screaming?"

*CRASH!*

Just as the last shutter closed, a ginger-haired boy in yellow tights crashed through, skipping across the ground twice before pancaking on the wall. Sliding down and conking his head, Wally shifted, turning right side up before rubbing the bump atop his head.

"Ouch." said Wally, shaking his head a little before spotting the other UA students, "Oh! It's you guys! I was a little worried there were only two of you or something!"

"Uhhhhhh...Who's this kid?" asked Jiro, "Do we know him?"

"I think I recognize him." said Tsuyu, squinting her eyes, "Wally, right?"

"Woah! You remembered my name?!" said Wally, "Yeah, it's Wally! Wally West! I'm Mandalay and Pixie-bob's ward...or something like that. I'm trying to get into UA but I have to do this test and I have Barry's powers and I-"

"Woah, woah! Slow down!" said Jiro, "You have Barry's powers?!"

"Yeah! I'm not as experienced but that's basically it." said Wally, "I got it by-"

"Wally, stop." said Tsuyu, "I want to hear how you got these powers as much as everyone else, but we're in the middle of a problematic situation. We should save this for later."

"Yeah, probably." said Wally, rubbing his arms, "Is it getting colder?"

True enough, the temperature of the room had begun to drop, prompting Yaoyorozu to look around. Raising her head, Yaoyorozu spotted frost coming out of the air vent.

"Look!" said Yaoyorozu, pointing at the vent, "They must have control of the ventilation room."

"Ribbit..." croaked Tsuyu, who felt a little dizzy, "I'm...I feel….lightheaded."

Suddenly, Tsuyu began to stumble, tripping over and falling into Shoji's arms as the air reached freezing levels. Wally rubbed his torso at super speed, keeping warm as Jiro and Yaoyorozu began to pace about the room.

"As I suspected, they're eliminating our quirks one by one." said Yaoyorozu, "First they took out our info gatherers in the form of Shoji and Jiro, and now they've neutralized Tsuyu by taking advantage of her frog physiology."

"So now all that's left is Yaoyorozu's quirk." said Wally, "If she uses it up in any way, all four of you are basically spent."

"Right," said Yaoyorozu, "and from what I can tell, they already welded all the doors to this room shut except that one."

Yaoyorozu pointed towards a set of blue double doors, "They're likely behind there, waiting for us."

Wally nodded, re-adjusting his glasses as Yaoyorozu began to think of a plan to get out of this situation. Shoji approached Wally, cradling Tsuyu in his arms, "Wally, you look like you're generating more heat. Here, hold Tsuyu, she'll be warmer in your arms."

"Huh?!" said Wally, "Wait a sec, it might not be sa-"

Before he knew it, Shoji had dumped Tsuyu into Wally's arms, forcing him to hold her as he moved on to talk with the others. Realizing he had to keep her warm, Wally vibrated his hands, making sure to keep generating heat so she wouldn't fall asleep. As Wally's eyes darted about, Tsuyu unconsciously wrapped her arms around Wally's chest, hugging him, "I-Uh!"

"T-Thank you...Wally."

Wally's ears began to burn as he struggled to figure out what to do with himself. He really wanted to be a hero, and helping out the other UA students was a good way of showing off his chops. Yet, he was getting flustered at the fact that he was literally keeping this frog girl awake.

The temptation to hug back was real.

"Wally, I have an idea!"

Yaoyorozu walked over to Wally, pulling out two pairs of earmuffs and a roll of duct tape and handing them to Wally, "They accounted for all of us prior to assaulting our position, but they didn't count on you being here. I'm going to use what's left of my lipids to generate a giant loudspeaker for Jiro to use via her undamaged amp. When I finish my countdown, she'll unleash a devastating sound wave that'll disorient them. From there, you'll have to wrap them all up while they're dazed. Put the earmuffs on Tsuyu and yourself then get ready."

Wally took a deep breath, processing the plan in his head, "I...Alright, I'll just go with it."

Gently putting Tsuyu down, Wally got into a sprinter's stance, stretching out his neck before placing his eyes firmly on the door. He was about to do his first team-up move with another hero! Yaoyorozu raised her hand, signaling the number three with her fingers. She began to count down, from there, lowering each finger for each second before finally closing her hand into a fist.

Time for action.

The sound of the loudspeakers deafened Wally, even with earmuffs on, but he couldn't let that stop him. Blasting off from his original position, Wally cleared the space between himself and the double doors immediately, kicking it open with one swift motion. Behind the doors were five girls all dressed up in the same uniform as the girl on the other rooftop, though they all had small differences such as a blast mask and a particular girl with a cup of tea and glasses.

_Tea at a time like this? Whatever._

Running to each of the girls, Wally rapidly ran around them, restraining them by basically cocooning them in tape. As he reached the final girl, Wally suddenly realized that this would be a good time for him to pass his quota of defeating enemies. Hitting the girl in all three targets, Wally wrapped her up in duct tape before running back into the room with his friends, posing in satisfaction.

"Hey, look!" said Wally, "I did it!"

The students strolled in, inserting their balls into the targets of their enemies after pulling back the duct tape to expose them. Yaoyorozu's bet had paid off, and now they were all ready to cross the finish line.

"Let's head to the exits now, before anyone else can catch up with us!" said Tsuyu.

The group nodded, heading down the stairs and out of the tower. As Wally looked back at the tower then to his new friends, he realized that fitting in was going to be easier than he initially thought.

Now, he just had to hope Barry could cross the finish line too.

* * *

_Where's Wally, Where's Wally, WHERE'S WALLY?!_

Barry had circled the arena multiple times, passing hundreds of contestants and yet none of them were Wally. Whether it was the grey monotony of the cityscape or the more rocky environment of the central battlefield, many lay strewn across the area, unconscious and defeated, but none of them were Wally. Many were still fighting, even though there were only five spots left, but none of them were Wally.

Barry was practically pulling his hair out as he went through one final sweep.

_I'll find him, I have to. He has to pass, or else I've….I've failed._

"You think you can beat the great Pinky? You underestimate me!"

Mina's voice caused Barry's ears to perk up, as he slid to a stop, following her voice to a small crater in the ground. She was having a scuffle with two other participants, and was currently kicking the crap out of them. As one of the participants went down, another attempted to slam strike Mina with what looked like an energy-powered fist, only for her to spray acid at his feet, causing him to slip up and fall on his face. As the other contestant snuck up behind her, ready to plant his ball in one of her targets, Barry immediately jumped into action, shoving his balls into all three of the man's targets before flicking him in the head at super speed, knocking him out as Mina whirled around.

"I-I had that guy!" said Mina.

"Sure you did." said Barry, "Have you seen Wally?"

"I think I saw him going to the finish area with some of the others." said Mina, planting her balls into one of the participants' targets, "I had to finish one more guy off."

"Already finished?" said Barry, scratching the back of his head, "Damn, I never thought about that. He got dumped into the deep end so I just assumed this was too much to handle."

Barry began to chuckle, "Man, I really underestimated what he could do."

*Screech!*

"Attention to those who care, only five people can pass now. Go do whatever you're doing fast or you're failed."

Barry and Mina stood still for a moment, wide-eyed and having an extremely existential crisis on the inside. Mina had faffed about and failed to get her prerequisite disqualifications until the last minute and Barry had spent the whole time looking for Wally.

Luckily for them, all they had to do was cross the finish line, and with the fastest man alive, that was a piece of cake.

"Let me hitch a ride?" asked Mina, a playful look on her face.

Barry smirked, "I thought you'd never ask."

Wrapping her arms around Barry's neck, Mina allowed Barry to pick her up, letting him speed them both across the arena. As they covered meters upon meters in mere seconds, Barry could hear the announcer counting down the people passing. As the exit door came into view, Barry could see dozens of people ahead of him, all racing towards the same thing.

Success.

Seeing no other option, Barry screamed "HOLD ON TIGHT" before kicking himself into overdrive, flying forward in such a massive burst of speed that he blew the dirt beneath his feet up into the air. The force of this dead sprint was so great that as he passed everyone in the millisecond it took to get through the door, they were all blown away, like leaves in the wind as Barry slid to a stop, watching the massive door close behind him as he set Mina down.

"And that concludes round one." said the man over the loudspeaker, "Those who failed, go home, we don't need you for now. Come back in a few months to try again. Those who passed, take a second to sit down and catch your breath, we'll be back in five minutes."

Barry let out a deep sigh as he pulled his mask off, wiping the sweat from his brow. That entire fight was unnecessarily stressful, but at least he made it through.

"Barry!"

Wally sped up to Barry, surprising him as he took his goggles off, "Man, I thought I was gonna get totally steamrolled, but luckily I ran into some of the other UA students. I already explained my biz to them so you don't have to! Anyway, what do you think the next round will be abou-"

"Wally!" said Barry, "Just, hold on a sec, I wanna say something."

"Oh! Uh, ok!" said Wally.

Barry nodded in thanks before continuing, "When I lost sight of you, I kinda had a bit of a panic moment. I thought I failed to get you through the door, but it turned out you already went through by yourself. I'm still gonna keep my eye on you, but I won't baby you."

Wally rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." said Barry, raising his fist for a bump, "So long as we both pass, that's all that matters."

Wally stared at Barry's fist for a moment before smiling, raising his own to fistbump Barry. The two had a break to take, but for now, they were still in action.


	68. Speedy Rescue

"Are you sure you want to do this? We already have the manpower."

Gang Orca, a large humanoid orca man, tightened his tie, watching his apparent minions suit up in their own henchmen costumes. They were located in a room just off of the main arena, separated from the main area.

"I'm sure of it. Villains are grouping up. We should replicate that."

"And you're sure this isn't overkill?" asked Orca, narrowing his eyes at the person he was speaking to, "We have to go all out. These kids need to be ready."

"It's like you said, Orca."

A shadowy figure slipped on a pair of goggles and a jacket, stepping into the light, "These kids are in for a world of hurt, and they need to be ready."

* * *

Barry sat down on the bench within the break area, slipping his mask off as he sipped some water from a plastic cup. His entire class (and Wally) had gotten through the first trial, despite some scrapes and bruises, and now it was time for round two. Only one hundred of them were competing here, but the pressure was still on. If they screwed this up, they would be going home without a provisional license.

"Alright, everyone, are you ready to hear the details?"

Barry's ears perked up as the announcer began to speak through the sound system. A crowd had gathered around the large monitor in the break room, where the screen began to light up. Barry sped over, taking his place between Wally and Mina.

"What'dya think is the next challenge?" asked Wally, "Big one hundred man fight with a huge robot? Ooh! What if it's a race!"

"I doubt it's anything directly competitive since we already did that," said Mina, "It's likely more of a passive competition."

"Well, whatever it is, It's not gonna be easy." said Barry, looking up at the screen.

The screen flashed to the old arena, which was fairly beaten up after the brawl perpetuated by thousands of contestants. After a few moments of silence, the arena exploded, reducing most of its contents to rubble and debris to the shock of the room. Barry raised his eyebrow, tapping his foot at super-speed as he put his hand up to his chin. What were they doing?

As the dust began to settle, a crowd of newcomers entered the arena, a collection of both children and the elderly. They milled about, looking as if they'd been wounded or hurt. However, if one looked closely enough, it was clear that the wounds and blood were fake.

"Please welcome the Help Us Company, or HUC for short. They're a company of professional actors who specialize as rescuees. They will be feigning injuries across the arena and it will be your job to save them. Take them to the safe zone on the north side of the arena to have them count as rescued. The test starts in ten minutes. We'll see you all there." said the announcer.

As the crowd dispersed, Barry nodded in understanding, "So they want to judge how well we perform a rescue. It makes sense, we were just judged on combat so switching it up is a natural pivot."

"Well this'll be easy!" said Wally, "We can just speed in, grab the guys, then get out!"

"Not exactly," said Barry, "You have to be careful, you may be able to handle those speeds, but they might not."

"Huh?" said Wally, "So we can't do that?"

"No, we can." said Barry, "You just have to be careful about it. I'll show you when we get out there. For now, go and get some water and nutrition. Our fast metabolism means we need to consume lots of calories in order to keep our energy up!"

"Oooh! So that's why I feel so hungry all the time!" said Wally, "Alright, I'm gonna go get some snacks, I'll meet you where the rest of the class is gathering!"

Wally sped off, leaving Barry to tighten his boots as he waited for the start of round two.

"Hey!"

Barry's ears perked up as he turned towards the direction of the callout, which seemed to be at him, to find Blue Beetle striding towards him. The insectoid hero had a frown on his face, and Barry was pretty sure he knew why.

"Hi, Beetle right?" said Barry.

"Yeah," said Beetle, "That's it, Blue Beetle. Though, my real name is Jaime Reyes."

"Ok, Jaime." said Barry, "I just wanna say I'm sorry for getting Magenta disqualified. She seems like a really nice girl."

"She is, and she's a great hero!" said Beetle, tapping his foot with arms crossed, "Listen, I only came here to say one thing."

Barry winced, preparing for a verbal attack as Beetle began.

"You better pass this test."

Confused, Barry raised an eyebrow, "Uh, you too?"

"No, seriously." said Beetle, "If you were good enough to beat Frankie and nearly beat me out, then you better prove you're worth a lot. Trust me when I say that I wanna work with you in the field someday after seeing your moves, so make it through round two or you'll never hear the end of it!"

Beetle gave Barry a smirk before walking off, satisfied that his declaration had had its intended effect. Barry stood dumbfounded, surprised by the beetle's demand for him to pass. It was an unexpected statement, but Barry welcomed it anyway. Turning around, Barry elected to rejoin his classmates. He took around five steps before a large boy in a Shiketsu uniform stepped in front of him.

"Oh, sorry!" said Barry.

"THE APOLOGIES BELONG TO ME!" shouted the boy, promptly bowing so hard his head slammed into the floor, cracking the concrete as Barry watched on in horror.

"Dude! Don't do that! You're gonna hurt yourself!" yelped Barry.

"Sorry!" yelped the boy, picking his head back up and adjusting his hat, despite the blood leaking from a cut on the top of his head, "I just tend to get worked up sometimes. Hey, you're Allen, right?!"

"Uh, not many other people named Allen," said Barry, "So I'll go with yeah, that's me!"

"Nice, I've been meaning to speak with you!" said the boy, "I've heard you can create whirlwinds with your quirk, I wanted to know just how potent they are!"

Barry raised an eyebrow, now that the combat test was over, it was safe to assume that this info wouldn't harm him, "When I spin my body, or more specifically my arms and legs, I can create little tornados. They're not very big, but they're enough to slow me down if I'm falling or to knock somebody off balance. They can even redirect projectiles if I do it just right!"

"Nice! Mine have so much more power, but granted that's because they're my main quirk!" said the boy, "It's interesting to find alternate uses for someone's quirk outside what it can normally do! Anyway, I must take my leave, but I've gotta say, I'm impressed you made it this far!"

Turning around the boy prepared to leave, only for Barry to realize he didn't know the boy's name, "Hey, wait! What's your name?!"

"Yaorashi!" piped the boy now finally taking his leave. Nodding to himself, Barry finally found himself free to return to his friends.

* * *

"Midoriya!"

Barry called out to his friend as the green-haired boy grouped up with some of their classmates. Wally sat on a bench, downing a bottle of water next to Tsuyu as Kirishima and Mina conversed about some kind of shared super move. Midoriya seemed to perk up as Barry entered the group.

"Barry! You made it!" said Midoriya, "After you got carried off we were all pretty worried about you!"

"Hey, don't worry about it! I made it out alright!" said Barry, looking around to see if any other UA students were missing, "Did everyone make it?"

"Yeah!" said Midoriya, "It's also good to see that Wally made it through ok!"

Barry glanced at Wally, who was now downing a third bottle of water. Tsuyu gave Wally an odd look, but seemed to be mostly used to the unusual sight since Barry himself often did it, "Believe it or not, he got through without me."

"Really?!" exclaimed Midoriya, surprised that Wally had handled himself so well, "How?"

"He's more skilled than I gave him credit for," said Barry, "Though it does help that he ran into Yaoyorozu and some of our other classmates."

Midoriya nodded in understanding, "Ah, I see. Still, it's impressive that he made it with such a small amount of experience."

Suddenly, the loudspeaker screeched, exploding in feedback before the announcer's voice came on, "Alright everyone, gather at the arena entrance, we start in one minute."

"Urk!" gasped Midoriya, "We better go!"

Barry nodded as Midoriya bowed, departing to line up at the entrance. Walking with his class, Barry took a spot next to Wally at the entrance, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Hey."

Wally seemed to jump a little, startled by Barry, "Oh, hey!"

"Listen, when it comes to going out there, I'm gonna let you run free," said Barry, "but first I want you to watch me rescue someone. Follow my example. Once you can safely replicate my technique, I'll let you off the hook."

"Sounds gouda!" said Wally, cracking his knuckles. As great as it was that Barry wasn't trying to micromanage him, he still had a lot to learn. Picking something up from Barry would be a worthwhile experience. As the announcer began to count down, Kirishima bumped Barry in the shoulder, flashing him a grin and a thumbs up. Barry smiled, flashing his own thumbs-up as the timer finally hit zero.

"Begin!"

As the doors opened, Barry and Wally immediately blasted off, leaving everyone else in the dust. The duo laid eyes on the now completely destroyed arena, a shell of it's concrete self. The bombs had done extraordinary damage, leveling the entire area and making the terrain extremely samey. Where there was previously great variety in the areas around the arena, there was now an ever-present array of uneven terrain. It was all concrete rubble and blown up buildings, and that made things harder for both of them.

Bumpy terrain wasn't good for running.

Regardless, Barry began to sweep the opening area, Wally following his lead. Scaling a pile of debris, the two came across an old man lying on his back in a small pit. Fake blood was splattered in a splotch on his head and he appeared to be unconscious.

"We have to get him to safety now!" piped Wally, practically itching to get him. However, Barry raised his hand, gesturing for him to wait.

"That's true, he's hurt bad, but you have to keep the type of injury he has." said Barry, "If you mishandle an injured person, especially an elderly one, it can lead to some nasty consequences."

Slipping next to the man, Barry quickly checked him over for his wounds. The splotch of fake blood on his head was bad, but the liquid smeared across his shin was worse. Picking him up while keeping his leg elevated, Barry nodded towards the safe zone, having Wally follow him all the way there. As they slid to a stop, Barry laid the old man down, quickly wrapping bandages around his leg and head.

"He was bleeding around the leg. If you carry someone with that kind of wound wrong, they can rapidly lose feeling in that area and it might even have to get amputated." said Barry, "Pay attention to physical stuff, like where people are bleeding, funky limb angles, differences in breathing and facial expressions. Keep an eye on the details and you'll make it just fine."

Wally nodded, "Got it!"

The old man opened his eyes, sitting up before staring blankly at the two, "You guys did a good job! Full marks!"

Wally's eyes widened as he jumped back in surprise, "Wait, they're grading us on the fly?!"

"Guess so," said Barry, "but there's no time to rest, we've got a job to do!"

Barry gave Wally a pat on the back, "Here's where we split off. I'll see you at the end of the test!"

Throwing a thumbs up, Wally sped off back into the arena while Barry did the same, their paths diverging into different areas. Little did they know that this test was more than just rescue.

* * *

Wally began to make a wide sweep of the arena, rescuing any people who were in need. The act wasn't particularly difficult, he just had to be careful about things. As Barry said, mishandling of a rescuee would mean dire consequences, at least out in the actual field. Here, the worst he could get was points off, but it was still important to avoid those.

Leaping into a destroyed building, Wally could feel the unstable structure of what remained of the building. The walls and roof could come down any second, making the entire area a ticking time bomb.

Of course, a kid rescuee had to set up shop here.

There he sat, a kid with a bruised knee. Wally raced towards him, making a direct path for the kid while checking for other injuries. He didn't seem to be breathing or acting funny, and from the looks of it, there was no blood. It looks like he just scraped his knee and-

*Clunk*

Wally gasped as his foot became tripped up on a stray pebble, sending him tumbling into a roll. He was so focused on the kid that he didn't even pay attention to the ground he was running on. The fall seemed to trigger some chain reaction as deep rumbling could be heard. As he slowed to a stop, a piece of the wall suddenly began to fall, it's path marked by the shadow enveloping Wally. The young hero froze, eyes wide as the massive slab of concrete barely touched his head before something wet and slimy wraps around his ankle. Feeling his leg jerk, Wally suddenly fell on his back, dragged out of the way as the wall finally crashed into the ground. Looking down, Wally realized that an extremely long tongue was wrapped around his ankle, a tongue belonging to-

"Tsuyu!" exclaimed Wally.

Tsuyu nodded, retracting her tongue as she walked over to offer a hand to Wally, "That was close, we should probably stick together in groups."

Wally grimaced, taking Tsuyu's hand as she pulled him up, "Yeah, maybe going solo at a time like this is a bad idea."

"There's no problem with teaming up!" said Tsuyu, "Sometimes we all need help."

"I know, I was just jumping the gun a little." said Wally, "My bad."

"None of us expect you to get it instantly. You're good." said Tsuyu, "Todoroki will get the boy."

"Todoroki?" said Wally, confused. He hadn't seen Todoroki.

"Here."

The sound of ice forming caught Wally's attention as he turned just in time to spot Todoroki sliding down an ice ramp, picking up the child and cradling him in his arms. He was as full of silent resentment as ever.

"Is he...quieter than usual?" asked Wally, "I wouldn't know, I'm not around you guys that much."

"In a way, he kind of is." said Tsuyu, "Ever since he met with one of those Shiketsu people, he's been a little sulkier than usual."

"You don't need to speak about me while I'm here." said Todoroki, brushing past the two as he moved to take the boy to the safe zone, "Let's just focus on finishing the test."

As Todoroki moved on, Wally chuckled nervously, "Or maybe he slept on the hot side of the bed."

The duo began to walk after Todoroki, following him down a path carved by ice when the arena began to shake. An explosion sounded off from the nearest wall of the arena, mere meters from the trio.

"Uh oh," said Wally, "That can't be good."

As the dust began to clear, Wally could make out figures in the haze, as well as an intimidatingly large figure.

Yeah, this definitely wasn't good.

* * *

"Full marks!"

With another one down. Barry stood up, wiping the sweat off his forehead. In the space of around five minutes, he'd rescued around seven civilians, treating their fake wounds and lending a hand where it was needed. A few other students were having trouble treating said wounds, but Barry made sure to point out what needed doing.

Studying anatomy in preparation for his former interest in CSI was coming in handy.

"Barry!"

Mina's voice prompted Barry to turn his head towards his friend, who was clutching a really beaten up girl. The girl wheezed, her breath shallow and short as Barry sped over, kneeling down next to Mina.

"She's not breathing right," said Mina, "I dunno what I'm supposed to do about this."

Barry frowned, "The right answer would be to get her to a doctor, but since I'm here."

Barry leaned in closer, taking the girl's pulse while paying closer attention to her breathing. After a moment, he backed away, "Something is obstructing her throat, It could be a piece of rubble or just dust clinging to the inside of her throat. There's nothing wrong with her lungs as far as I know."

"Great, now how do we help her?" asked Mina.

"Leave it to me!"

Barging in on the conversation, Yaorashi flew in from the sky, plopping a mostly unharmed rescuee on the ground before taking a knee next to the girl's head. Moving his hands over the girl's mouth, Yaorashi began to create a minuscule gust of wind, creating a little tornado out of her mouth. Within seconds, dust particles began to get sucked out of her mouth and up through the tornado.

Barry looked on in awe of Yaorashi's work. The guy had mentioned his quirk involved whirlwinds, but Barry imagined massive tornados similar to Weather Wizard's tornados, but it looks like the hero could create smaller, more precise whirlwinds as well. In fact, he was so precise that it was clear Barry's own whirlwinds could never have this kind of focus.

"Man, that's some serious skill." said Barry, "It must have taken a while to master."

"Oh yeah! It took ages! But when you've got a passion for something, nothing can get in the way!" piped Yaorashi. The girl sat up, smiling while giving a thumbs up.

"Full marks for all three of you!" said the girl, pointing at them individually, "You for carrying me carefully and making sure I was handled eloquently, you for diagnosing me correctly, and you for carrying out the operation! Normally you'd have to take me to a hospital, but infield treatment deserves extra marks!"

Mina threw her fist into the air, "Nice! Just a few more and the test will be over-"

*BOOM!*

Suddenly, a massive blast caused the ground to shake as a pile of rubble was blown to bits, followed by Todoroki, Tsuyu, and Wally racing into the clearing, pursued by something. Turning around the trio seemed to ready themselves as black-suited men and women piled in, blasters hooked to their hands as a massive imposing figure moved out of the dust. He was big, dressed in a white suit and tie, but most notable of all was his whale-like head. With anatomy resembling an orca whale, there was no mistaking the man.

"That's...that's Gang Orca!" said Barry.

"The number twelve hero, former number ten?" said Mina, "He must be here to complicate things."

"I agree," said Yaorashi, "this test was going way too smoothly. It makes sense they'd add simulated villain attacks to it."

Yaorashi began to float into the air, "Good thing I'm ready for it!"

Yaorashi began to charge at Orca, leaving Barry and Mina in the dust. Looking towards each other, the two silently nodded before beginning to follow Yaorashi. As skilled as the people fighting Gang Orca were, Barry knew that realistically, they needed a big numbers advantage if they wanted to take him down. Closing in on the hero playing the villain, Barry raised his fist, ready to land a big punch.

*WHAM*

In the blink of an eye, an interloper intervenes, flying towards Barry and landing a sizable gut punch to his side. The hit was powerful, so powerful that it sent him flying. Mina yelped in surprise, racing after Barry as he continued to flip through the air. As he began to fall towards the earth, he felt an abrupt stop as someone caught him in midair. Now being cradled, Barry looked up to find his savior to be-

"Beetle?!"

The insectoid hero flashed a smirk, "Sup!" he said before flying them both to the ground. Mina runs up to the two, a look of relief on her face, "Oh man, I thought you were done for."

"I'm fine." said Barry, rubbing his head, "What hit me?"

"I did."

Barry recognized the voice immediately, a voice from his past, though it wasn't that long ago. Looking up towards one of his former teachers, Barry felt extremely conflicted emotions. On the one hand, it was great to see the guy again, he had taught Barry a lot, but at the same time, him being here meant he had to fight him.

This was not going to be pleasant.

"Alright guys, ready up!" said Barry, "Because Animal Man's a tough customer."

Buddy Baker smirked behind his goggles, stretching out his jean jacket before stepping into his combat stance. The blue and yellow streaks around his body suit ran all the way up to the big A on his chest, a signifier of his status as a veteran hero. For Barry, this was about showing how much he had grown. For Buddy, this was making sure Barry was prepared for a future where he might have to replace heroes like him.

They both knew Buddy wasn't gonna go easy on them.

"Alright kiddos!" said Buddy, cracking his neck, "Let's see what you've learned!"


	69. Animal House

An orca whale has a bite force of nineteen-thousand PSI or Pounds per square inch. For context, a hyena has a bite force of five-thousand PSI, enough to snap bones. It takes someone with great strength to resist such an attack, especially since Gang Orca was biting down on someone now.

Wally West was not strong enough to deal with that kind of power.

Leaping back, Wally dodged the bite, sliding up next to Tsuyu as she flung a henchman into the air with her tongue. Todoroki sent a wave of ice at a group of the henchmen, freezing them solid in blocks of frost as Yaorashi tossed more around using his wind power. The four had been holding their own for the most part, but they alone could not keep the henchmen away from the rescuee's and fight Orca at the same time.

"This dude's quicker than he looks!" said Wally, "But not as quick as me!"

Orca stepped forward menacingly, pounding one foot into the ground after the other, "You'd be mistaken to underestimate me, boy. One wrong move and you're chum."

Despite the fact that Wally knew the guy was a hero, his statement sent chills down Wally's spine. He really was a convincing villain, which only added to the danger aspect of the test. He had to pass this or not only would his provisional license be out of reach, but UA would also be out of reach. The trouble was, they were strained with so many targets.

"We can't all focus on Gang Orca!" said Todoroki, "We'll be neglecting the rescuees!"

"Then we should split up, handle each threat in a different manner!" shouted Tsuyu, pointing towards the three, "Todoroki, Yaorashi, you two keep Orca at bay. Wally and I'll take on the henchmen!"

Todoroki whirled around, giving Yaorashi an intense glare, a glare Yaorashi returned almost immediately. The two seemed to have an inexplicable disdain for each other, a fact that suggested that they may not be the best people to put together. However, it was the heat of the moment, and Tsuyu had to make the choice quickly.

"AGH!"

Wally heard a scream pipe up from the rescuee area, turning to find that henchmen they had missed were starting to descend upon the rescuees. Pivoting his body, Wally sprinted into action, racing off with Tsuyu right behind him. Just as a trio of the henchmen reached the safe zone, Wally passed them, running around them in circles before grabbing them all and throwing them into the air. Whipping out her tongue, Tsuyu wrangled all three before slamming them into the ground.

"Nice combo move!" said one of the rescuee's, "Extra marks."

Wally smirked. Extra credits were awesome. As more henchmen began to make their way to the safe area, Wally and Tsuyu readied themselves.

"How do you wanna play this?" asked Wally.

"Just keep comboing them, we'll be fine." said Tsuyu.

Wally smirked, cracking his head before racing into the fray. Hopefully, Barry was doing as well as he was.

* * *

Barry was getting his ass kicked.

Granted, it wasn't a mutually exclusive feeling. Mina and Beetle were also getting their butts handed to them, but still, not a good feeling to have. Landing on his back with a THUD, Barry's head rocked back, hitting the ground and concussing him as Mina flew by, landing on her face. Beetle flew around from above, peppering laser blasts at Animal Man as he dodged from side to side with the mobility of a sheep-dog, leaping into the air and flying at Beetle with the speed of a hummingbird before striking him square in the stomach with the strength of a Lion.

As Beetle spun out, crashing into a nearby pile of rubble, Animal-Man landed on two feet, turning back to face Barry and Mina as the two began to recollect their faculties. Tightening his fists, he lunged at the two.

"You guys aren't showing any improvement since last time!" said Animal-Man, "C'mon! I know you've gotten better!"

Just as Animal-Man's fist came down towards Barry, he flipped back, narrowly avoiding the strike as he landed on his feet, sliding back as Animal-Man surged forward. Hoping to give Barry some breathing room, Mina unleashed a spray of acid, funneled directly at the animal-themed hero. However, taking advantage of the flexibility of a weasel, Animal-Man bent underneath the attack, pivoting his body and sliding under the acid before delivering a kick to Mina's side, sending her tumbling across the ground.

"C'mon guys, apply yourself!" said Animal-Man.

Barry blitzed forward, striking Animal-Man from the back with a kick, only for the hero to take advantage of an Elephant's dense frame, taking the brunt of the attack while turning around to grab the speedster's leg. As Mina dusted herself off and rushed forward to jump back into the fray, Animal-Man flung Barry towards Mina, tossing him headfirst into her chest and sending them both flying.

"Alright, you caught me off guard, but Blue Beetle's gonna-URK!"

Exploding from the rubble, Beetle prepared to blast his opponent, only to be struck out of the air right away as Barry and Mina crashed into him, resulting in all three falling behind another pile of rubble. Animal-Man began to march towards the pile, cracking his knuckles. So far, their technical skills have definitely improved, but they were nowhere near his level. They weren't equipped to fight him head-on, they had to be smarter, take advantage of things Animal-Man didn't have.

Whether they were quick enough was another thing entirely.

Barry coughed, getting the dust out of his lungs as Mina and Beetle got up as well. Their location had landed them a temporary reprieve, but it wouldn't last long.

"This isn't working," said Mina, "No matter what we do, Animal-Man just dances around it and takes us down!"

"We need to hit him harder!" said Beetle, forming a blaster around his forearm, "He'll give way eventually."

"No, we can't." said Barry, "We may have him beaten in numbers and firepower, but Animal-Man's quirk is extremely versatile. He can worm his way out of almost any kind of fight we take to him."

"Then how are we supposed to beat him?" asked Mina.

Barry thought for a moment, his hand on his chin. The three had been attacking Animal-Man individually, attempting to dismantle him with the support of the others. However, they hadn't been supporting each other at all, just attacking with the idea that their friends would vaguely back them up.

They needed a more organized approach.

"Alright, here's the plan," said Barry, "We set a trap, put him in a spot he couldn't think of being in. I'll lead him on a chase, you guys set up the trap!"

"Wait, what kind of trap?!" asked Beetle.

Barry turned around, preparing to run, "I trust you guys to figure that out!"

Barry rocketed off, racing away and rounding a corner. Just as he had predicted, Animal-Man harnessed the speed of a Cheetah, sprinting after him and leaving the remaining two heroes to plan.

"So, how do you wanna play this?" asked Beetle, looking to Mina for a plan.

Mina scratched her head, her finger bumping against the stub that was her regrowing horns. She wasn't the biggest planner, but she needed to come up with something. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in her head as she snapped her fingers, "I've got it!"

* * *

Orca's fist slammed into the ground, prompting Todoroki to hop back to avoid getting tenderized while he unleashed an outburst of ice, watching it snake its way towards the whale-like hero. Exploding in all its frosted fury, Orca shielded himself, bracing with his arms as the ice collided with his body, shattering as it forced him back.

"Brute strength can be a deciding factor in combat against the right opponent," said Orca, "But it's not going to knock me down."

"We'll see." said Todoroki, his cold demeanor visible as he began to unleash a torrent of flame, hoping to shock Orca with extreme heat after giving him a bout of chilling ice. As the fire licked its way across the ground, hurtling towards Orca with a highly combustible malice, it suddenly changed course, taking a hard left into a pile of rubble as another pile on the right began to crumble due to extremely high winds, blowing hard concrete into Orca's side. Looking up, Todoroki made eye contact with Yaorashi, glaring at the hero who had just sabotaged his attack in order to get his own in.

"Hey! You screwed up my flames!" shouted Todoroki.

"Maybe aim them better!" shouted Yaorashi.

Todoroki clenched his fists, "What's your problem! I haven't done anything to you!"

"It's what you represent that irks me!" shouted Yaorashi, floating stagnantly in the air, "You and your father lack any sort of passion for herois-AGK"

Out of nowhere, Gang Orca unleashes a sort of hypersonic wave, an explosion of sound so potent it paralyzes the victim. Hit directly by the attack, Yaorashi dropped from the air like a bird diving towards water, landing headfirst in a crater, motionless. Todoroki whirled around to retaliate, but it was too late. Orca was already upon him, unleashing another wave of hypersonics and completely disabling Todoroki as the wave hit him head-on. As he crumpled to the ground in a disheveled heap, Orca stood over him, disappointment in his eyes.

"Strength can decide a battle," said Orca, "But when not put in the right place, it can be your undoing."

* * *

"WAAAAGH!"

Wally watched another henchman get flung through the air, landing on his face unconscious as Tsuyu retracted her tongue. The two had been dealing with these henchmen for minutes on end, but they didn't seem to pose much of a threat. Their numbers were the biggest issue, but Wally's speed made it easy to dispatch them all in quick succession.

"Is that the last of them?" asked Wally, scanning the area for more henchmen. He didn't want to leave any standing, as that would endanger the rescuees. Tsuyu hopped onto a spot on the Arena wall, getting a longer view of the area.

"I don't see any more." said Tsuyu, "I think we got them all."

"Nice," said Wally, "Now all we have to do is-"

*Shoom!*

The ground shook as Gang Orca crashed through a pile of rubble, entering Wally and Tsuyu's sightline as he roared in an attempt to intimidate them. Even though this was a test where none of them were actually in danger, Wally still felt small when compared to the mammoth size of the hero. His appearance really did make him ideal to play a villain. It was then that Wally noticed Todoroki and Yaorashi behind Orca, both disabled and vulnerable.

"We've got to save them!" shouted Tsuyu, hopping down next to Wally, "I'll distract Orca, you go get them and bring them to the Safe Zone!"

Wally nodded, trusting Tsuyu to hold her own as he blitzed forward, making a wide turn to avoid Orca while Tsuyu made a beeline for the hero. As he slid to a stop next to Yaorashi, Wally slung him over his shoulder, only for his knees to buckle when he realized just how heavy he was.

"Jeez! Lay off the protein powder!" yelped Wally.

Resorting to just drag him, hopefully in a way that wasn't painful, Wally moved them both over to Todoroki, who was light enough for him to carry. As Wally soldiered them back to the safe zone, he could hear Todoroki whispering into his ear.

"C-Careful." Todoroki said weakly, "He has a sonic cry that can paralyze you."

"Since when can Orca's do that?!" piped Wally. He may have been smart, but he wasn't an expert on whale anatomy and biology. As he placed the two in the safe zone, laying them down into comfortable positions, he heard Orca roar once more, causing him to turn around to get a faceful of Tsuyu.

When engaging Orca, Tsuyu attempted to wrangle him by ensnaring his arm with her tongue, holding him in place. However, Orca simply grabbed her tongue with his other free hand, using his immense strength to toss her out of the way. She flew through the air, unable to control her trajectory as she landed on top of Wally.

Wally groaned, rubbing his head as he groggily pushed Tsuyu's body off of his. The frog adjacent hero stumbled to a stand, quickly grabbing Wally and quickly hoisting him to a stand as Orca began to trudge towards the duo.

"He's strong, It's gonna take more than the two of us to stop him." said Tsuyu.

Wally nodded, "Then we're gonna have to try and run down the clock."

Acknowledging that the only way they could truly beat Orca would be to slow him down until the round ended, the two leaped into action. Racing ahead of Tsuyu, Wally watched as Orca raised his head, preparing to unleash another hypersonic wave. As the wave of sound exploded from the hero, Wally dodged to the side, watching the ground crack and crumble in the spot where he once was as he dashed behind Orca, rapidly throwing his fists against the sides of his opponents head as Tsuyu jumped forward, landing a kick directly in Orca's face. Unfazed, Orca swung his head back, clocking Wally in the face and causing his nose to bleed before swinging his head forward, knocking Tsuyu away. Whirling around, the hero grabbed Wally by the arm, dangling him above the ground so he couldn't run away.

"I relayed this lesson to your compatriots, but brute strength won't always guarantee success." said Orca, "Now you will join your friends in failure."

Wally struggled, kicking against Orca's massive frame, but it didn't do him any good. He had screwed up, underestimated his opponent, and now he was paying the price. As Orca prepared to unleash a paralyzing wave of hypersonics, Wally closed his eyes, bracing for failure.

*WOOSH*

Suddenly, Wally felt himself ripped from Orca's grip, opening his eyes to find that Midoriya of all people had dove in, coming to his rescue by prying him out of Orca's hands, leaping away using his quirk before landing next to Tsuyu, who was getting tired of having to dust herself off after getting knocked down over and over again. Before Orca could retaliate, The earth began to shake, causing the ground underneath to loosen. As the dirt gave way, Kirishima and a boy Wally hadn't seen before leaped over Orca, with Kirishima giving the hero a downward punch that caused him to sink shin-deep into the ground. The two landed with the rest of Wally's friends, the five facing off against Orca.

"What's this?" said Orca, "More back-up?"

Wally's eyes darted between the three interlopers, grateful for their intervention as they all prepared to fight again.

"Wally, Tsuyu, are you ok?" asked Midoriya, worry in his voice as always.

Wally nodded, "I'm good, thanks for pulling our fat out of the fire there." Wally then looked at the new guy, raising his eyebrow, "But who's this guy?"

"Oh!" piped the guy, dressed in jaw guard and a shirtless outfit that would fit a pro wrestler, "I'm Shindo, I actually separated your class in round one!"

"He wasn't there for that." said Kirishima, nodding to Wally, "But what matters now is that we've got a bad guy, or a good guy posing as a bad guy, to take down!"

Tsuyu shook her head, "You really think we can take down a former top ten hero?"

Wally watched as Orca dug himself out of the earth, marching towards the five with silent fury. As he observed the hero, Wally suddenly had an epiphany, "We can, we just need to do something different. We've been fighting him individually, but we can't bring him down on our own."

"So we bring him down together!" asked Shindo, "It's perfect!"

It was then that Midoriya, stepped forward, fists clenched and at the ready, "If we're going to defeat Orca, we need to do it fast. The round's nearly over."

Wally cracked his knuckles, stepping forward, "Then let's get it done!"

With that declaration, the five began to charge Orca, all together as Orca charged them, completely alone. The hero unleashed a hypersonic wave, only for Wally to sidestep the attack once more. Midoriya and Tsuyu grabbed ahold of Kirishima and Shindo, using their enhanced athleticism to carry them out of danger as the wave finally passed. Taking advantage of his position in the air, Midoriya tossed Kirishima like a human catapult, watching the durable hero slam into Orca with both fists, causing him to falter a little in his posture. Taking advantage of the brief weakness, Wally slides in, delivering two kicks to the back of Orca's legs, causing him to immediately crumple and fall on his knees.

Building on that opportunity, Shindo lands on the ground, immediately vibrating the earth again and sinking Orca until he was torso deep in the ground. Seizing the combo opportunity, Midoriya landed calling out to Tsuyu to lend him her tongue. Realizing what Midoriya had in mind, Tsuyu immediately outstretched her tongue, allowing Midoriya to grab it. Powering himself up, Midoriya swung Tsuyu over his head like a mace, watching her crash down on top of Orca after making a wide arc over his head. Slamming into Orca with both feet, Tsuyu delivered an extremely strong strike to his head, burying him face-first in the concrete. Leaping back, the five observed Orca, wondering if there was more.

As Orca failed to stir, Wally scratched his head, "No way, was that it?!"

"Well, we did do one hell of a five-man combo move!" said Shindo, "That was awesome!"

"Hell yeah," said Kirishima, "I don't think I'll ever top that masterful combo!"

Wally stared at Orca in amazement, the five had seamlessly taken down a former top ten hero! If only Barry could see him now!

* * *

Barry paced himself as he darted between the piles of concrete and potholes in the ground, glancing back every now and again in order to ensure that Animal-Man wasn't getting left in the dust. He was faster than the hero, way faster, but he needed to buy his friends time to formulate an attack plan. Passing a destroyed concrete building, Barry spotted Beetle hiding in a hollowed-out but somewhat still standing tower, signaling for him to come closer.

_They've got a plan in mind. Time to see if it works!_

Kicking it up a notch, Barry waved back at Animal-Man, mocking him in a **you can't catch me** tone. Making a beeline for the tower, Barry continued to glance back, only to find that Animal-Man had disappeared from his point of view. The speedster grew nervous, coming to the conclusion that he had left his opponent behind.

He would find out that wasn't the case very quickly.

A shadow appeared over Barry's head, growing larger in the form of a circle. Looking up, Barry's eyes practically bulged out of his sockets when he saw the massive boulder falling from the sky, its trajectory set to crush him upon landing. Diving forward, Barry feels the force of the boulder crashing down behind him, sending him stumbling forward before he slid to a stop. Looking up, Barry made eye contact with the flying Animal-Man.

"Run all you want Barry, I'll still catch you." said Animal-Man, "I've got the stamina of a stallion."

Barry whirled around and took off again, hoping to not tip his enemy off to the fact that he was being led into a trap. With the double doors of the ruined tower coming up, Barry smashes into them, immediately taking in his surroundings. While most of the side rooms adjacent to the lobby have been destroyed or blocked off by debris, a stone staircase remained intact. Noting that he needed to beeline to the roof, Barry began to rapidly ascend the tower, scaling the steps with gusto.

*CRASH*

About halfway through his journey, Animal-Man crashes through the wall next to Barry as he's climbing, taking him off guard and knocking him off balance. As the stairwell began to crumble, Barry angled his feet, hopping from broken piece to broken piece as he jumped forward, landing on a still-intact part of the stairwell before going full throttle, practically flying up the steps as Animal-Man pursued him, "Nowhere to run, kid!"

The chase was nearing its end and Barry needed to make sure it went in his favor, finally reaching the door to the roof, Barry kicked it open, sliding to a stop on the roof and ready to watch Animal-Man get taken down by whatever plan his friends had set up.

Only to realize they weren't on the roof.

Barry's eyes darted about, scanning the rest of the roof to make sure he was seeing correctly. True enough, they had gone somewhere else. As Barry attempted to compute why this was the case, Animal-Man exploded through the rooftop door, grabbing Barry and slamming him into the concrete, pinning him to the ground.

"What was the plan, kid?" asked Animal-Man, "Lead me to a place where your friends would set a trap? I've got animal senses, they're not gonna pop up from behind me and catch me off guard."

The hero leaned closer, putting more pressure on Barry's back, "If this is the product of a summer's worth of training, I'm really disappointed."

As Barry struggled against Animal-Man's grip, a subtle *SSSSS* sound became audible. Animal-Man heard it too, his head darting side to side in an attempt to find it. However, it seemed that the sound originated almost from nowhere.

Nowhere visible at least.

In a moment that surprised both Barry and Animal-Man, a steady stream of acid suddenly erupted from the concrete, spewing out of a hole that seemed to have been formed as the acid was released against the structure. The acid catches Animal-Man right in the chest, immediately ruining his jean jacket and forcing him to get off of Barry, jumping back as he ripped the jacket off. As Barry quickly stood up, an explosion rocked the tower, blowing a hole in the roof before Beetle flew out of the hole into the air, Mina riding on his back.

"Hey, Buddy!" said Mina, "How's the jacket?"

Animal-Man was not amused, tightening his fists as he prepared to take flight. Seeing an opportunity, Barry blazed forward, grabbing him by the leg and pulling him back down. Leaping onto the dazed hero, Barry began to throw rapid punches at the hero, who brang his arms up to block the attack. As Barry kept him in place, Beetle glanced up at Mina, nodding to her to signal that it was time to spring the big trap. Cracking her fingers, Mina began to secrete large amounts of acid, spraying them all over the roof and coating the concrete in its dissolving agent. As the roof began to weaken, Barry glanced around at the roof as it began to crack and weaken under his feet, Mina's intent clicking instantly.

Raising his fist, Barry began to vibrate it, preparing to hit Animal-Man with an infinite-mass punch. Animal-man's eyes widened as soon as he saw the attack charging up, dropping his guard in an attempt to strike back before he could get hit, but this was what Barry wanted. In the brief second between Animal-Man's swap from defense to offense, Barry brang his fist down, punching Animal-Man in the chest, the force of the strike shattering the entire already weakened rooftop to pieces. The two immediately began to plummet, falling down through the interior of the already broken up tower as Beetle and Mina flew in after them.

Animal-Man could fly, Barry could not. To ensure that Animal-Man wouldn't be able to escape, Beetle began to charge up a blast of energy from his blaster. Noticing this, Barry delivered a two-legged kick to Animal-Man's stomach, sending him further down while catapulting him upward towards his friends. Mina reached out, grabbing Barry by the arm as Beetle unleashed the blast, watching it hit Animal-Man square in the front and sending him spiraling out of control as he finally hit the ground floor, instantly getting buried in rubble as the three touched down.

"Is he down?" asked Mina, watching the pile with nervous trepidation.

Beetle trembled a little, "He better be, I don't think we can pull another one of those moves off."

Barry walked up to the pile, inspecting the individual pieces. As the rubble began to shift, Barry jumped back, ready to fight again when an alarm blared.

"Oh, hello." deadpanned the announcer, "It appears the last rescuee was rescued. The test is over. Please proceed to the scoring board over the safe area to view your grade."

"Fantastic!"

Animal-Man burst out of the rubble, practically unharmed as he took all three of the students off guard. As the three yelped in surprise, Animal-Man patted them all on the back bringing them in for a great big bear hug before stepping back.

"That teamwork was impeccable, you plan on the run. It's a good skill for a hero." said Animal-Man, "And were those some new moves I spotted? You guys really did grow! Hell, you exceeded my initial expectations!"

Barry rubbed the back of his head, "Wow, I uh...didn't expect such a glowing review!"

"Well, you sure as hell earned it!" said Animal-Man, arms crossed, "Head over to the safe area, I bet your grades will be top of the line!"

The students smiled, bidding their goodbyes as they exited the building. As they left, Animal-Man reflected on their improvement, their skill. It was great to see them grow, even if it cost him his jean jacket.

He was gonna miss that jean jacket.

* * *

A mob of students gathered in the area next to the safe zone, watching the massive screen buffer in preparation for revealing its scores. Wally pushed his way through the mob, searching for Barry. He'd left Tsuyu to join some of her own friends, freeing Wally up to reunite with his pseudo-mentor. Passing by an unnamed student, Wally finally found Barry, who was shaking Beetle's hand.

"That was a hell of a test, you think you'll do well?" asked Barry.

"Of course! We held our own against a freaking professional hero!" said Beetle, "I gotta go, I'm sure I'll see you later at some point!"

"Cool dude, I'll definitely be seeing you!" said Barry, "Have a nice time, Jaime!"

Beetle waved to Barry before leaving, allowing Wally to approach him, "Barry! You came out in one piece!"

"Yeah, and so did you!" said Barry, "How was it overall, did you meet much resistance?"

"Oh man, I had this big fight with Gang Orca!" said Wally, gesturing with his hands in order to accentuate how epic it was, "It was hard, and we almost got beat, but a bunch of us came together and actually knocked him out! It was amazing!"

Barry's eyes widened in surprise, in disbelief at Wally's story, "That's crazy! I fought a pro-hero too!"

"Ahem, can everyone quit their bickering." said the announcer, "The grades are being displayed."

Their conversation cut short, the two decided to shelve that topic for another time as the grades finally came up. Displayed in alphabetical order, Barry found his name fast, reading his score to find it to be-

"A pass with flying colors!" said Barry, pumping his fist into the air before turning his head to Wally, "How'd you do, Wally?"

Wally didn't answer, instead leaping up and down at super-speed before taking a massive victory lap around the arena, running around the perimeter a hundred times over. Looking back up, Barry inspected Wally's score. While it was pretty easy to figure out where it landed based on his reaction, just the confirmation of Wally's position warmed Barry's heart.

The kid had passed. He got his Provisional License and he was going to UA. It was a dream come true.

* * *

"After the disaster that was Kamino, we need some new allies."

Shigaraki huddled in an alley, the cold biting at his cheeks while Thawne leaned against a wall across from him. The rest of the league that was still with them had gone out to get food, likely stealing it or looting it off of a fresh murder, leaving the two behind to plan.

"I got that." said Thawne, "What kind of numbers are we talking?"

"I can get numbers, I've caught wind of a guy named Chisaki. He's got a network if I'm correct, but I need some heavy hitters." said Shigaraki, "You're gonna make up for the Rogues leaving and get some new troops for me."

Thawne grumbled, not happy with being assigned work more suited to a grunt, "Fine, I'll have us a new ally by week's end."

As Thawne stood up to run, Shigaraki grabbed him by the leg, "Don't bring them on by tricking them, I don't want a repeat of what happened last time."

Thawne snarled, "You think I don't know that?!"

"I think you think you're a smart bastard, but I don't care if you think you can pull the same shit off twice." said Shigaraki, "Tell them everything, leave nothing out."

Thawne grumbled some more, ripping his leg from Shigaraki's grip before finally taking off. As he passed through the streets of the city, a destination formed in his head, a place that was home to the perfect ally, but this ally was always a last resort in Thawne's eyes. Unfortunately, desperate times called for desperate measures.

As he took a hard left turn, Thawne ran down a dock, leaping into the sea's surface and running across it. Tapping into the negative speed force, Thawne exploded across the ocean, leaving Japan behind and hitting the African mainland in mere minutes. Even if he wanted to trick this one, he couldn't, they were a telepath after all.

Running into the heart of Africa, Thawne finally found his goal, an empty valley filled with trees. However, instead of stopping, he barreled onward, knowing that the area wasn't as it seemed. As he passed a specific cluster of trees, the entire valley seemed to fall away instantly, revealing a huge wooden city full of primates.

Gorilla City was always a technologically advanced place.

Skipping the guard posts along the roads, Thawne blitzed directly into the throne room, coming upon 2 gorilla guards armed with spears and a single massive dark furred gorilla in golden jewelry and a red cape that sat on a massive silver throne. As soon as he slid to a stop in the throne room, Thawne dropped to his knees, bowing down as the guards immediately shouted in surprise, rushing over to Thawne and pointing their spears at him.

"Who are you?!" shouted one guard, "How did you get in here?!"

_**Leave him be.** _

The large booming voice was familiar to Thawne, even though he wasn't actually hearing it with his own ears. The guards whirled around to face the gorilla on the throne, incredulous, "But King Grodd! He is an intruder!"

_**I sense no hostile intent towards me or Gorilla City. Leave us, he wishes to make a deal.** _

"Yes King Grodd!" piped the guards, raising their spears and leaving the throne room. As they left, Thawne remained bowed, knowing that addressing Grodd as an equal would be a mistake.

_**You are gladhanding me, playing on the fact that humans are an inferior race to increase the likelihood of an agreement.** _

Busted.

_What can I say, My father grew up to be a salesman._

_**Enough drivel, reveal your inner thoughts, what do you offer me?** _

Thawne narrowed his eyes.

_I offer you what you've always desired, the speed force._

Grodd's grip on the throne tightened, the silver creaking and bending as he stood up, growling.

_**How do you know of my quest for the speed?!** _

_What can I say, I'm a bit of a fortune teller._

Grodd got up from his throne, walking towards Thawne.

_**If you say you know of a speedster, it cannot be just any. I need the Speed Force Avatar, the one who is truly in sync with the fabric of the universe, to obtain the true speed.** _

Grodd stood over Thawne, inspecting the red lightning radiating from his body.

_**And that one clearly is not you.** _

Thawne smirked, this was the way he snagged Grodd.

_True, but I know who it is._

Grodd's eyes widened as he raised his arms, letting out a massive roar while beating his chest. What he had desired for all his life had finally come to him, the path was becoming clear!

_**WHO?! WHO HOLDS THE KEY TO GRODD'S GODHOOD?!** _

In one simply gesture, Thawne raised his head, meeting grodd's animalistic eyes.

_His name….is Barry Allen._

**Author's Note:**

> Hello AO3! I'm a humble writer just starting out and I've decided to try my luck on AO3! I've mostly worked within FFN for the last few months as I started out, but I wanted to post my fics here too! This is the first of 37 chapters and still ongoing, so I'll have more up here soon!


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